A descriptive catalogue of the antiquities ... in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy

A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE

THE ANTIQUITIES

G O L D

fWuseum of tfte Eopai Jrisf)

BY

W. R. WILDE,

VICE-PBESIDENT OF THE EOYAL IRISH ACADEMY.

loob (EngrsMngs.

DUBLIN: .
HODGES, SMITH, AND CO., GRAFTON-STEEET.

LONDON: WHJJAMS & NORGATE, HENRIETTA-STREET, COVENT GARDEN.

1862.

DUBLIN:

at ti;c Stiuticrsttij ^r

BY M. H. GILL.

TABLE OF CONTENTS,

Page.

GOLD, Introduction to, 1

Analysis of Gold, 7

The Irish Crown, 8

Lunuliv, 10

Minds, 12

Diadems, 19

Gorgets, 30

The great Clare Find, 31

Necklaces, 31

Beads, 36

Ear-rings, 37

Fillets and Hair-Bands, 38

Breast-pins and Brooches, 40

Annular Bracelets and Armillae, 45

Unclosed Rings and Armillae, 49

Ingots, 60

Armillae, 51

Mammillary Fibulae, 57

Flat-plated Fibulae, 63

Torques, 70

Waist-Torques, 72

Neck-Torques, 73

Finger-Rings, 81

Circular Plates, 82

Bracteate Medals, 83

Boxes, 84

Bullae, 85

Miscellaneous Articles, 87, 89

Ring-Money, 88

CATALOGUE

THE MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES

ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY.

CLASS Y.METALLIC MATERIALS.
ORDER V. GOLD.

INTRODUCTION.

ALL probability gold in Irish,
Or was, for the reasons stated at
page 354 of Vol. I., the metal with
which the primitive inhabitants of
Ireland were first acquainted. A
greater number and variety of an-
tique articles of gold have been
found in this than in any other
country in North- Western Eu-
rope, from the Alps to the utmost in-
habited limits of Norway, or Sweden.
Records of these discoveries can be

traced through all the works relating to the archaeology and
history of Ireland, published during the last two hundred
years, and are also preserved in the unpublished Minutes, as
well as the printed Proceedings and Transactions of the Aca-
demy. These antique manufactured specimens of gold for the
most part consist of articles connected with personal decora-

VOL. II. B

2 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

tion, such as ornaments worn on the head, diadems, tiaras,
lunulae, hair-plates, and ear-rings ; those used for the neck, as,
for example, gorgets, small torques, flattened beads, globular
balls, and necklaces ; for the breast, as circular plates, fibulas,
and brooches ; for the limbs, as armillae, bracelets, and finger-
rings ; and for the chest and waist, in the form of large torques :
besides various minor trinkets and miscellaneous articles, such
as bullse ; small, circular boxes ; penannular-shaped articles,
supposed to represent money ; bracteate medals, and some other
objects of undetermined use. Of all these there are good repre-
sentations in the magnificent Collection of the Academy, which
at present (Jan., 1862) contains as many as three hundred spe-
cimens of antique manufactured gold. These, however, are but
a small portion of the gold antiquities found in Ireland, even
within the past century, the great bulk of which had been
melted down by jewellers, long before the institution of the
Academy's Museum, about thirty-three years ago. And even
during this latter period, far more articles of Irish gold have
in all probability found their way to the crucible than have
been anywhere preserved as objects of antiquarian or historic
interest. Besides those in the Academy, there are many no-
ble specimens of Irish art in the Museum of Trinity College,
and in the collections of private individuals, not only in Ire-
land, but also in England and Scotland ; and the majority of
the gold articles illustrative of the antiquities of the British
Isles, now preserved in the British Museum, are Irish. The
ignorance of the finders, the fear of detection, the low antiqua-
rian value heretofore attached to such articles, the want of a law
of treasure-trove,* such as exists in other countries, the
smallness of the fund placed at the disposal of the Academy
for the purchase of'such articles, rendering it unable to purchase
many valuable specimens that have been offered for sale, and

* The Treasury Minute respecting " Treasure-trove" in Ireland only came into
operation in April, 1861, and its effects have as yet been tested but to a very limited
extent.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD INTRODUCTION. 3

the apathy and indifference with respect to the preservation of
our national antiquities which have prevailed up to a very re-
cent period, have all tended to promote this lamentable dis-
persion, or destruction, of the golden treasures found beneatli
the surface of the soil in Ireland during more than a century
and a half. How much may have been discovered prior to the
commencement of that period, it is now impossible to calcu-
late.

Unlike the weapons and implements of stone, bronze, and
iron, discovered in such quantities on ancient battle-fields,
or in the beds of rivers, where probably the ford was the
scene of hostile strife, gold antiquities are scarcely ever
found in drainage operations ; neither have they been disco-
vered in any of our Crannoges, or lacustrine habitations, the
antiquities of which chiefly consist of implements employed in
culinary, household, and domestic use, or personal decora-
tions of bone, bronze, and iron. Gold articles have, for the
most part, been found deep below the surface of our bogs, a
portion of the peat of which had probably grown over them,
where they were dropped in flight, and remained unseen to hu-
man eye, until disinterred, centuries after, by the turf-cutter ;
or hidden, often in quantity, in the earth in upland districts,
in the vicinity of the fort or cromlech, or hi the neighbour-
hood of the battle-field. So far as the records of such disco-
veries are available, it would appear that the south-western
moiety of the island has yielded a greater amount of gold than
the north-eastern. As yet we have but very slight authentic
evidence of gold having been discovered with the remains of
the dead, as so frequently occurs in other countries ; and
therefore we are unable to associate the knowledge of this
metal, or the use of any particular style of ornament apper-
taining thereto, with cremation, or urn-burial, or any of the
circumstances under which the relics of either the Pagan or
the Christian dead of Ireland have been found. Scattered
broad-cast over the country, yet abounding in particular dis-

B 2

4 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

tricts, it would (without any exact knowledge being attain-
able upon the subject) appear that these articles were dropped,
or hidden in haste or fear, and possibly at a time when the foe
or the invader pressed hotly upon the heels of the fugitive.

The present goldsmiths and jewellers of Ireland bear tes-
timony to the fact of the great quantities of antique articles of
gold which have been consigned to the crucible, some esti-
mate that they have purchased as much as 10,000 w T orth.*

By such assays as have, from time to time, been made of
antique manufactured gold found in Ireland, we learn that it
is slightly below the present standard of that metal in Great
Britain and Portugal, and varies from 18 to 21 carats fine;
and, therefore*, its intrinsic value is a few shillings less per
ounce than that of the mint or sovereign gold. In some of the
very fine thin plates or lunulse, it is found to be as high as
21^ carats, but in no instance is it perfectly pure. The alloy
is generally silver and a little copper, but of this the assay-
master takes no special note. In the native ores of Wicklow
gold is always found mixed with silver and a little copper ;
and according to the analysis mentioned by Mr. Calvert, in
his " Gold Rocks of Great Britain and Ireland," published in
1853, their proportions were as follows: gold, 92 oz. 32dwts.;
silver, 6 oz. I7dwts. 6 grs. Mr. Weaver's assay gave 22-f,
and that of Mr. Alchorn 2 1 1 carats of pure gold.j By an as-
say of Wicklow gold, | recently made for the author by Mr,

* Many of the circumstances relating to gold " finds" were brought under the no-
tice of the Academy by the Author, on the 14th of January, 1861.

f Weaver's Geological Relations of the East of Ireland, Trans. Geol. Soc., Lon-
don, First Series, vol. v., p. 117, et seq.

J Besides the Wicklow gold-field, there are other auriferous districts in Ireland ;
for instance, the counties of Antrim, Tyrone, Derry, Dublin, Wexford, and Kildare.
See the detailed account thereof in Mr. Calvert's " Gold Rocks," referred to above.
There are several places in Ireland into the names of which the Irish word Or, gold,
enters ; but they do not so much indicate places in which gold was found, as localities
associated with other circumstances connected with that metal. Thus, Gort-an-oir^
" the field of gold," near Deargrath, in Magh Femin, derived its name from the cir-
cumstance of King Lughaidh Maccon being slain there, whilst he was bestowing gold

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD ASSAYS.

Twycross, the Dublin assay-master, it was 1 car. 1^ grs. better
than standard, or 23 carats fine, the amount of silver being in
the ratio of 6| dvvts. in a pound Troy. A chemical quantita-
tive analysis of another sample, made by Mr. Scott, Secretary
to the Geological Society of Dublin, was as follows: gold, 89 ;
silver, 8*1 ; iron, 2'1 ; and a trace of copper. From all these
examinations, it would appear that the native gold of this
island is either up to or above standard.

These assays and analyses of ores do not, however, pre-
sent greater variety as to the amount of pure gold than is
found in the antique manufactured state ; but it must be re-
membered, that the metal of these articles may have been used
for other purposes previously, and so acquired some portions
of these alloys. The ring, No. 248, in Case E, is a good ex-
ample of the colour of the fine native gold of Croghan, in
Wicklow. The average price given for our antique golden ar-
ticles by jewellers and goldsmiths for smelting purposes varies
from 65 to 70 shillings per ounce. The antiquarian value is
usually 4 per ounce ; but this sum is occasionally increased,
according to the rarity of the article, its amount of ornament,
its state of preservation, or the peculiar circumstances under
which it has been found.* By quantitative analyses made by

and silver on the learned men of Erinn, A. D. 225. See Annals of the Four Masters,
O'Donovan's translation. The place is now called Derrygrath, near Caher, county
of Tipperary. So also Dun-an-oir, " the fort of the gold," in Kerry, and another of
the same name in the Co. Cork, so called from the fact of hoards of gold having been
found there. Other localities are styled golden, from the yellow colour of the clay, or
from the richness of the soil, or fertility of the district.

* Under the present Treasure-trove regulations, the finder of an article has only
to bring it to the nearest police officer, from whom he will receive a receipt, by which
the Government undertakes to return the article, if not required ; or to give, if retained,
the "full value" thereof; not merely its intrinsic or bullion value, if of metal, but
its full antiquarian worth, as determined by the Committee of Antiquities of the Royal
Irish Academy, to which body all such articles are submitted for award by the Lord
Lieutenant.

The country is deeply indebted to Lord Talbot de Malahide for his valuable influ-
ence and assistance in procuring the Treasury Minute, from which it is to be hoped

6 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

Mr. J. W. Mallet, and already referred to at page 359 of
Vol. I., the following were the proportions in eight speci-
mens: the quantity of gold varied from 71 '48 per cent, in a
fragment of a thin neck-torque, No. 200, to 96-90, in a por-
tion of a bracelet, formed of twisted wires, No, 1 88, both in
Case E ; and the amount of silver, from 23-67 in the former,
to 2-49 in the latter. In the eight examples examined, the
proportion of copper varied from 4'62 to 0'12 per cent. The
admixture of alloy by our early gold- workers, if such took
place, beyond that found in its natural state, or acquired by
frequent working, shows an extraordinary amount of metal-
lurgic knowledge, and points to a high state of civilization in
the artists by whom it was employed.* An assay which we
recently procured of a portion of a large thin lunula, No. 8,
in Case A, showed it to be only 1 carat Of grs. less than stan-
dard. It would be a matter of interest to discover whether
the amount and quality of the alloy was fixed for any particu-
lar variety of ornament; but as a yet sufficiently extensive
series of assays and analyses have not been made to determine
this point. f

In the ancient annals and histories of Ireland, relating to
the most remote historic periods, down to the fifteenth cen-

so much benefit will in future be derived, and the intent of which will, we sincerely
hope, he made as public as possible by the nobility, clergy, and gentry, and all per-
sons interested in rescuing from the smelting-pot, and preserving in our great Na-
tional Collection, some of the best materials for our ancient domestic history.

* Gold is red or yellow, according to the amount of copper or silver with which it
may be alloyed. From the circumstance of " red gold" being frequently specified in our
ancient MSS., it would seem to have had a special value attached to it; but whe-
ther this red ore was obtained from any particular locality, or was produced by the
artificial admixture of a reddening material, is unknown at present.

f In early times the men of Leinster were called " Lagenians of the Gold," from
the circumstance of the quantity of gold found in the Co. Wicklow, as already stated
at p. 354 of Vol. I. ; and besides the entries and references there given, the follow-
ing extract from the Book of Leinster (MS., T. C. D., fol. 246 a~), for which the au-
thor is indebted to the Rev. Dr. Todd, still further explains the appellation :

" The reason why the men of Leinster are called ' Lagenians of the Gold' is this

CLASS v. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD ANALYSIS. 7

tury, we find more numerous references to gold than in the re-
cords of any other country in North- Western Europe. These
show that gold, both in the crude and manufactured state,
was in frequent use in this country in ancient times. We read
of gold in bulk, or by weight, having been paid for ransom (in
some instances as much as 300 ounces),* exacted as tribute,
given in barter, or for charity. Of wrought gold we have notices
of torques and bracelets being worn by distinguished persons ;
or, in the form of rings and armillas, being presented as the
reward of merit to poets and historians. Instances of all these
are numerous ; but, as regards the most remarkable and pe-

becanse in their country gold mines were first discovered in Erin. In the forest
south of the Liffey the gold was first smelted, as the poet says
' Ucadon, the artist of Gualann,
Was the first to inhabit Dord, I assert.
It was in his inviolate, delightful place
That gold was first boiled in Erinn ;
Upon his woody, sportful lawn,
Long, capacious bellows were blown
By the man of unebbing fame,
In the forests south of the Liffey.' "

That is, the plain of the Liffey, the present Wicklow gold district, from which
the river takes its name.

* A. D. 989. When O'Melaughlin gained the battle of Dublin over the Danes,
and besieged them in their citadel, now Dublin Castle, they at length yielded to his
demand, and gave " an ounce of gold for every garden, to be paid on Christmas-night
for ever."

A. D. 1029. Amlaff, the Dane, when captured by Malion O'Reagain, Lord of
Bregia, paid as his ransom " twelve hundred cows, sevenscore British horses, and
threescore ounces of gold, and the sword of Carlus."

A. D. 1151. Turlough O'Brien took with him to Connaught, besides other ar-
ticles, "ten ounces of gold."

A. D. 1162. When peace was concluded between the Danes and Irish, one hun-
dred and twenty ounces of gold "were given by the foreigner to O'Lochlainn, King
of Meath ;" and " fivescore ounces of gold" were paid by Diarmid O'Melaughlynn to
Rory O'Conor, for Westmeath.

A. D. 1168. Dermot MacMurrough gave one hundred ounces of gold to Tier-
nan O'Rourke for his Einach, or atonement.

A. D. 1169. Donough O'Carroll, Lord of Airghialla, died, " after bestowing
three hundred ounces of gold, for the love of God, upon clerics and churches."
Annals of the Four Masters, O'Donovan's translation. Dublin: Hodges and Smith.

8 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

culiarly Irish, as well as the most valuable specimens, both
intrinsically and artistically, which have been discovered,
there is no mention in our accessible Annals. They, proba-
bly, belong to pre-historic times, and were lost long before
the age of writing in this country. Among the most remark-
able of these are the beautful diadems, coronets, and other
head ornaments in the Academy's Collection.

Had the Irish monarchs or provincial kings crowns ? is a
question frequently asked. If they had, history is silent on the
subject, and we have no records of such being used at the in-
auguration of kings or chieftains. There is not in Irish his-
tory an account of the ceremony of a coronation. Two golden
articles, however, like caps or helmets, and which may have
served as crowns, were found in Ireland during the past cen-
tury. One of these, figured by Dermot O'Connor, in the in-
troduction to his translation of Keating's " History of Ire-
land," published in 1723, and of which the accompanying
illustration is a fac-simile,
was discovered in a bog at
the Devil's Bit, in the Co.
Tipperary, in 1692, and re-
mained for some time in the
possession of the Comerford
family, by whom it was car-
ried to France, but whether

still in existence or not is unknown. It weighed only 5 oz.,
and must, therefore, have been very thin and slight. Its or-
namentation is undoubtedly Irish, and is identical with that
on some of our very early golden articles, especially lunulse
and fibulas, and consists of embossed circles and straight lines,

O '

some parallel, and others arranged in angles of the chevron
pattern, like those seen in some of the terra-cotta urns of
Pagan times.* " Another crown of gold, similar to this,"

* The dimensions of that article are not given, and its weight, about 5 oz., shows
that it must have been very thin. In the Copenhagen Museum may be seen some

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD CROWNS. 9

says Vallancey, writing in 1783, " was found some years ago
on the estate of Mr. Stafford." See Collectanea, Vol. IV.,
p. 39. Aisin is the name used by some comparatively mo-
dern Irish writers for a crown or diadem ; but it is also applied
to a reliquary, and is not a term of much antiquity. At what
period the crown known to moderns, and consisting of a co-
ronet more or less raised, and decorated with semicircular
bands or hoops passing from one side to the other, was first
introduced, has not been clearly stated by writers, although,
from the shape, it would appear to have had its origin in the
mural crown of classic nations. The earliest insignia of
power, rank, or sovereignty, would appear to have been a
bands or fillets, as shown on some of the most ancient coins
and gems. The fact that for centuries prior to the Anglo-
Norman invasion there was not any sole monarch of Ireland,
may account for the circumstance of there being no such na-
tional regalia; while those magnificent golden diadems still
preserved in the Academy's Collection, and which, probably,
belonged to kings and queens in the days of the Irish pen-
tarchy, far surpass any ornaments of the kind of a similar age
discovered in North- Western Europe.*

thin golden cup-shaped vessels, highly ornamented in the Scandinavian style of art
which were found suspended in ancient tombs. See, in particular, Plate 61, Fig. 280,
in Worsaae's Nordiske Oldsayer, 1859. If we reverse the drawing of the so-called
Irish crown given above, and place it beside one of these northern vessels, the resem-
blance is very striking ; or, if we reverse the latter, it quite as much resembles a cap,
or crown, as that given in the foregoing illustration. Banquettiug vessels of the pre-
cious metals were not unknown to the early Irish. See, among other notices, the
Fragments of Irish Annals, copied by Dubhaltach Mac Firbisigb, and published by
the Archaeological and Celtic Society, with a translation and notes by the late Dr.
O'Donovan, in 1860.

* Irish Crowns. I am aware that the opinion expressed in the text respecting
the Irish crown, at least as we now understand the term, is contrary to that asserted
by O' Flaherty, in the Ogygia, and Lynch, in his Cambrensis Eversus, as well as by
Ward, M'Curtin, and other writers ; but as yet I have not met with any authority
which describes such an article, or relates the circumstances and<eremonial of a coro-
nation. In Scandinavia, which, next to our own country, is rich in antique gold de-

10 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

All the golden articles are arranged in six upright cases,
placed in strong fire-proof safes, on the ground-floor at the
eastern and western ends of the Museum.

SPECIES V. PERSONAL DECORATIONS.

LUNUL^E, or LUNETTES In Irish, Mind or Minn. The
most frequently discovered gold ornament and that in which
the type, both in shape, size, and style of decoration, is most
decidedly fixed is a thin crescentic, or moon-shaped plate,
with the extremities formed into small, flat, circular discs, at
right angles with the plane of the article, and which is now
known by the name of lunula,* or lunette, of which the fol-
lowing illustrations are good examples. This engraving, from
No. 2, in Case A, represents one of the largest and most per-
fect of these ornaments. It is 9 inches across from out to
out, 5| in the clear of the hollowed part, which is not a perfect
circle ; and measures 2 deep in the widest portion at top.

The ornamentation, which is very minute and elaborate, was
in this, and in almost all similar specimens, evidently effected
by a series of fine chisel-edge punches, the indentations made
by which can in some instances be observed on the plain re-
verse side. The lines which surround the edges would, how-
ever, appear to have been produced by the graver. It is formed

corations, no such regalia have been discovered ; but bronze circlets, diadems, and hair
ornaments, for a like purpose, abound. For some account of the inauguration of the
Irish Christian kings and chieftains, see O'Donovan's translation of " The Genealo-
gies, Tribes, and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach," printed by the Irish Archaeological So-
ciety, 1844, p. 425. Even when Conaire the Great was invested with the sovereignty
of Ireland, at Tara, and stood upon the Lia Fail, which, it is said, roared under him
in acknowledgment of his right, we do not read of a crown being placed on his head.
The ancient romance of the Tain Bo Cuailgne mentions that Meadhbh, Queen of
Connaught, went to battle in a chariot, with a minn or diadem on her head, but we
are not given any description of the article.

* We find the the term " Lunula" first applied to these articles by the learned
Pococke, then Bishop, of Heath, in his article on the subject of Irish gold antiquities
found in 1742, and printed in the Archaeologia, vol. ii., p. 37.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD LUNULJE.

11

of a plate of very pure gold of paper thinness, and weighs
3 oz. 4 dwts. 3 grs. This is one of the few remaining speci-

Fig. 638. No. 2.

mens of the Academy's original Collection, and is believed to
be that found near Killarney, and presented by Lord Kenmare
in 1778, as described in the MS. Minute-Book of the Com-
mittee of Antiquities, vol. i., p. 50.

The Academy's Collection of lunula? at present consists
of fifteen specimens, eleven of which are complete, although a
few are in fragments. They are all arranged in Case A, at the
eastern end of the ground-floor, and vary from 5| to 11
inches wide.

In the absence of any distinct reference in Irish history to
these crescentic or moon- shaped ornaments, the mode in which

12 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

they were worn is still a subject of discussion amongst antiqua-
ries, some asserting that they were hung round the neck like
gorgets ; while others, with more apparent reason, believe that
they were placed upright on the head, with the flat, terminal plates
applied behind the ears. In this latter position they would be
much more ostensible and attractive than if suspended round
the neck, for which there were other special decorations in the
shape of gorgets and torques. In form they are identical with
the nimbi on ancient carvings ; and in the great majority of
the oldest Byzantine pictures, similar ornaments surround
the heads of the personages represented in scriptural pieces,
or holy families. And, as many of these pictures are painted
on panels, the glories, or nimbi, are generally plates of metal
(usually silver gilt) fastened to the wood. There is a similar
nimbus round the head of the chief figure in the Knockmoy
fresco, described at page 316 of Vol. I. Montfaucon has
figured many examples of half-moon-shaped head ornaments
in use among the ancient Greeks and Romans; and in the
Etruscan Collection at Berlin may be seen several bronze
statuettes with this exact head-dress ; in one of which (that
of a female) a plait of hair is drawn across the front of the
lunula, between it and the forehead.

We have no special reference to these ornaments in Irish
history ; but in the Vision ofAdamnan* there is a passage that
bears upon such a form of head-dress, where it refers to "the
exceedingly large arch above the head of the Illustrious One,
in his regal chair, like the adorned helmet, or the Mind of a
king."f In one of the MS. copies of Cormac's Glossary, the
article referred to is thus explained : " A mind that used to

* See Mr. Eugene O'Curry's " Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient
Irish History" for an account of this Tract, p. 4.24.

f Extract supplied by Mr. J. O'B. Crowe, who has also referred me to two pas-
sages in the Leabltar na h- Uidhre, in which the term Mind (pronounced Meend), and
often spelled in " middle Irish" Minn, occurs, and bears a like signification to that
given in the text

CLASS v. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD LUNULJE. 13

be put upon the head of a soldier after the victory of conquest."
In a fragment of a commentary on the Gospel of St. Mark,
preserved in the University Library at Turin, and written by
an Irish scribe in the eighth or ninth century, mind glosses the
Latin word Diaderna. In the Leabhar na h-uidhre, a MS. of the
eleventh century, we read that, "once upon a time, at the great
fair held at Tailten, in Meath, by the Gaels, when Diarmaid,
son of Fergus Cerrbeoil, was King of Tara, the men of Eirinn
were ranged upon benches, each according to his dignity or
profession, or legitimacy, as had been the custom thitherto.
And the women had a separate bench assigned them, along
with the king's two wives, Mairenn Mael [Mairenn the Bald],
and Mugain, the daughter of Concraid, son of Duach Bonn,
of Munster. Mugain harboured a great envy against Mairenn,
because she herself was childless ; and said to a satirical wo-
man who was there, that she would give her any reward she
demanded, if she would snatch the golden minn off the Queen's
head. Now, Mairenn was without hair upon her head, so she
always wore a queen's minn to conceal her defect. The woman
then came to where Mairenn was, and importuned her for a gift.
The queen said she had it not. You shall have this, then, said
the satirist, pulling the Cathburr [a helmet or decorated head-
dress] of gold off her head. ' May God and St. Ciaran protect
me against this,' said Mairenn, placing her hand upon her head ;
and, lo ! no person in the fair had time to look at her, until a
flowing head of golden hair fell down to her shoulders."*

A few bronze lunulae have been found in Scandinavia,
and there is one plain gold specimen in the Museum of Copen-
hagen. The northern antiquaries consider them to have been
ornaments for confining the hair.f

* Extract supplied by Mr. O'Curry.

f The Copenhagen Haarsmykker, or gold lunula, figured by Vilhelm Boye in his
Oplysense Forteynelse, of ornaments of precious metals, in 1859, is thin, narrow, quite
plain, 7J inches broad, and greatly resembles No. 12 in the Royal Irish Academy's
Collection, both in size and absence of ornament. See p. 3 of that work.

14

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

When Bishop Pococke, who first figured and described
this form of gold ornament, wrote in the Archaeologia, in
1773, he said, " many such have been occasionally found
in Ireland ; and among these some are flat and plain ; others
crimpled or folded like a fan." Vol. ii., p. 36. Simon and
Vallancey also refer to similar plaited crescents ; the folding,
however, was evidently not a portion of the original device,
but merely done by the spoiler or the finder to lessen the
bulk of the article. The lunula figured by Vallancey in
the fourth volume of his Collectanea, is evidently copied
(although without acknowledgment) from that published by
Pococke, ten years previously.

The subjoined illustration is drawn from No. 6, a rather

Fig. 539. No. 6.

small, but very perfect and beautifully decorated specimen of
lunular ornament, in which the terminal plates are oblong,
instead of circular. It stands 7 inches high, measures 6|

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD LUNULJE.

15

across, and is 5 in the clear, and If deep in the widest por-
tion at top. Its weight is but 18 dwts. 2grs. It was pro-
cured with the Dawson Collection. The inner circle, or cut-
out portion, probably made to fit the head of the individual for
whom the lunula was originally designed, differs in each par-
ticular specimen; and in size and shape it bears no relation to
the magnitude of the entire article, of which circumstance
No. 5 is a good example.

By the following illustrations, which are all drawn the na-
tural size, are presented the various forms of decoration em-
ployed by the early Irish gold-workers, and they probably
followed in succession, if they were not contemporary with,
the ornamentation used on the sepulchral urns. In Nos.
3, 4, 15, and 9, may be seen the rudest and simplest forms

Fig. 540. No. 3.

Fig. 541. No. 4. Fig. 542.' No. 15. Fig. 543. No. 9.

of ornamentation, in which the lines are not very regular, and
seldom quite straight or well defined, and the pattern is some-
what irregular, as figured above. The details of these spe-
cimens are given in the description of Case A. See page 17.
In figures 544, 545, and 546, from Nos. 8, 7, and 10, maybe
seen an advance in regularity of pattern, and greater precision
of lining, especially in the last, where the pinking or angular-
edged decoration is produced by a series of double lines meet-
ing in the centre (the type of which may be seen in fig. 541,
No. 4, of the foregoing cuts). In most others of this variety,
the lines in the interspace run either across or perpendicularly.
As already stated, at page 10, these short lines appear to have

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

been produced by narrow chisel-faced punches of different
lengths ; but in most cases the prolonged lines were evidently

made with the graver.

Fig. 544. No. 8.

Fig. 545. No. 7.

Fig. 646. No. 10.

In Fig. 547, drawn from No. 11, as shown below, the
checkered work has been effected with great regularity, and
the pattern resembles that on some of the shield-shaped bronze
pins, see Fig. 448, Vol. I., page 557-

Fig. 547. No. 11.

Fig. 548. No. 13.

In No. 13, Fig. 548, a new style of ornament has been
introduced, in which the pinking runs down each side of a
double line, instead of across, as in all the other specimens ;

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD LVHULJE. If

and the spaces within the outlines are filled up with a series
of small circular punchings, like that in the bronze celt, No.
620, delineated at page 390, Vol. I.

Figure 549 represents a portion
of the design on No. 5, the largest
specimen of lunular ornament in the
Collection. If brought out in co-
lours, these various designs would
have a very pleasing effect.

The foregoing collection may,
in all probability, be received as
the earliest specimens of lineal de-
sign in metal work which the re-
mains of art in the British Isles af-
ford. From the number found, it
is manifest that this variety of or-
nament was in frequent use among
the early Irish. In addition to the
fifteen lunulse in the Academy's Col-
lection, we know of five others in
private museums; there are three in the British Museum,
which were found in Ireland ; and we have reason to believe
that several others are still unmelted, besides those mentioned
by Simon, Pococke, Vallancey, Campbell, and other writers.

The following list comprises the details of all the lunulse
in the Collection :

GROUND-FLOOR; EASTERN SIDE.

Case A contains fifteen lunulae, numbered from 1 to 15. No. 1,
a small lunula, perfect in all respects, elaborately ornamented;
measures 7f inches across, and is 5^ wide in the clear of the inner
circle; it stands about 7^ inches high, and is 2| deep in the broadest
portion; weight, 1 oz. lOdwt. llgr. Purchased from a dealer.
No. 2, ditto, large, perfect, slightly torn at upper and inner edges;
figured and described as the typical specimen of this form of orna-
ment at p. 10. No. 3, ditto, perfect, with the exception of the ter-

VOL. II. C

Fig. 549. No. 5.

18 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

minal cross plates, narrow; is 8j broad by 8 high, 6 in the clear,
and 2 deep in the broadest portion ; Wt., 2 oz. 2 dwt. Procured
with the Dawson Collection. Ornament figured at p. 15. No. 4,
one-half of a small lunula (completed with gold paper) ; measures
6f inches in extreme height; Wt., lOdwt. llgr. Ornament figured
at p. 15. Found with Nos. 8, 9, and 15, in hard gravel, apparently
the remains of a togher or ancient road through a boggy field, in the
parish of Dunfierth, barony of Carbury, and county of Kildare.
Near it were found a quantity of bones of large ruminants. No. 5,
the largest, and most highly ornamented specimen of lunula in the
Collection; perfect, but divided into seven fragments, into which it
is said to have been cut by the finder; it measures 11^ inches broad,
by 10| high, and is 4^ deep in the widest portion. It is remark-
ably small in the clear, measuring but 5f inches across that portion;
Wt., 4 oz. 3 dwt. 21 gr. Ornament figured at p. 17- Found near Ath-
lone, in the county of Roscommon, and Presented in 1842, by Earl
De Grey, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. See Proc., vol. ii.,
p. 274. The square terminal plates were sold to the Academy sub-
sequent to the presentation of the other portions. No. 6, a small,
perfect, narrow lunula; figured and described at p. 14. No. 7, ditto,
middle-sized, perfect; 7f by 7 inches broad, 5^ in the clear, and If
deep ; Wt., loz. 9 gr. See Fig. 545, p. 16. Purchased from a dealer.
No. 8, ditto, perfect; large, broad, and rather wide at the opening;
found with Nos. 4, 9, and 15. It was torn across at the widest por-
tion, and the second part was not procured for many months after
the first; when the parts were placed together, they were found to
match. A small portion had been cut out of the upper edge of one
fragment, to make a pig-ring, by the finder, who thought the metal
was brass. This lunula has been restored, and in all probability
now presents much of its original character. It measures 8f by
8^ inches, is 6f wide in the clear, and 2| deep at top ; Wt., 2 oz.
5 dwt. 1 gr. See Fig. 544, p. 16. No. 9, the left limb of a
very small, narrow lunula, imperfect; finished out with gold
paper; measures 7^ inches long, and is I broad in the widest por-
tion; Wt., 4 dwt. 2 gr. Found with Nos. 4, 8, and 15. Ornament
figured at p. 15. No. 10, a lunula, perfect, complete ; broad in lateral
diameter of cut-out portion, and also wide in the opening at termi-
nal plates; resembles No. 8; measures 7f inches wide, 7^- high,

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD DIADEMS. 19

and If broad in widest portion; Wt., 1 oz. 3 dwt. See Fig. 546,
p. 16. Obtained with the Sirr Collection, in the Catalogue of which
it is stated to have been found in the county Galway. No. 11,
ditto, perfect; broad at top; 7f inches wide by 7^ high, 5 in the
clear of the opening, and 2j deep in the widest portion; Wt., 1 oz.
7 dwt. 12 gr. Figured at p. 16 Purchased from a dealer in 1852.
No. 12, ditto, complete, but torn across the centre; narrow, quite
unornamented ; when it came into the Collection, it was crumpled or
plated irregularly, as if to lessen its bulk; 7^ inches wide, and the
same high, 6 in the clear, and l deep at the top; terminal plates
oblong; Wt., 18 dwt. Purchased from a dealer in 1853. No. 13,
both limbs of a highly ornamented lunula, deficient in the centre,
but completed with gold paper; differs from all the others in the
character of the punched ornament, figured and described at p. 16;
measures 8 inches from out to out, each way, an'd is 6 wide in the
clear of the opening ; Wt., 1 4 dwt. 3 gr. Analyzed by Mr. J. W. Mal-
let, and found to consist of gold, 88*64; silver, 11-05; copper, 0-12.
See Transactions, vol. xxii., No. 4, p. 315. No. 14, a perfect, very
small horse-shoe-shaped lunula, quite unornamented ; very wide in
the opening, where it appears to have been stretched; measures 5f
inches across, and 6 high, is 4f wide in the clear, and 1^ broad in
widest portion; Wt., 16 dwt. 16 gr Dawson. No. 15, the left
limb of an ornamented lunula, wanting the terminal cross plate;
it is about 9 inches long, and measures 1|- wide at the broadest por-
tion; Wt., 7 dwt. 19 gr. Found with Nos. 4, 8, and 9. See Fig.
542, p. 15.

DIADEMS, or TIARAS in Irish, Mind, or Minn of thin
plates of gold, semi-oval in form, and most elaborately chased
and embossed, have been frequently found in Ireland. There
are at present five such ornaments in the Academy's Collection,
arranged in Case B, at the eastern end of the Museum ; and it
may with safety be asserted that, both in design and execu-
tion, they are undoubtedly the most gorgeous and magnificent
specimens of antique gold work which have as yet been disco-
vered in any part of the world. Whether they were worn as
the insignia of royalty, or formed portions of the head-dresses

c2

20 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

of Druid priests in Pagan times, is, in the present state of our
knowledge, undetermined. The general design is the same in
all, but differing slightly in the ornamental details in each
specimen. Each diadem consists of a central crescentic plate,
wide at top, and narrowing towards the ends, which are in-
serted into decorated circular bosses. These ornaments ave-
rage eleven inches across, from out to out, and five in the clear
of the open portion. In weight they vary from 4 to 16 ounces,
and appear to have been placed in the erect position on the
top of the head, like the lunulaB, but with the terminal deco-
rated extremities coming down on each side, in front of, and
partially covering the ears. How retained in position is uncer-
tain. All the references to the Mind of the early Irish already
cited at pages 12 and 13, in the description of the lunulse,
apply with even greater force to these diadems, of which the
former were probably the precursors.

The semilunar nimbus, or oval part, is what is technically
called "dished," or slightly concave posteriorly; and its orna-
mentation, which was evidently effected by hammering up,
punching, or chasing on a mass of pitch or other yielding ma-
terial, consists of a series of plain, polished, semicircular ribs,
standing out in high relief, between which there are indented
bands of rope-work, or rows of small circular elevations, all of
the most elaborate and minute workmanship, giving to the
whole head-dress a most gorgeous effect.

Each shield-like boss is formed of a pair of thin convex
plates, from two to four inches in diameter, and joined at
their edges by a turn over in the posterior one, receiving and
overlapping the thin edge of the anterior. In some cases, as
in No. 17, this joining is further strengthened by a stout nar-
row rim of plain gold, which passes over and encircles the
junction of both plates. The narrow terminations of the lu-
nular portion pass in through slits in the posterior discs of the
bosses, and are there fastened with gold wire twisted into a
torque pattern ; or, as in No. 17, with woollen thread encircled

CLAPS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD DIADEMS. 21

by a narrow spire of thin gold. Each anterior boss is ele-
gantly chased, in a different style of ornament from the
nimbus. The posterior plate or disc is also ornamented, but
not so elaborately as that in front.

The first article of this description of which we have a no-
tice is that truly grand diadem figured by General Vallan-
cey, in vol. 4 of his Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, pub-
lished in 1784, and which he supposed to be the celebrated
collar of judgment worn by the renowned Brehon, Morann, in
the reign of King Fearadach Finnfeachnach, who, according to
the historian Keating, reigned A. D. 14.* It is said to have
possessed the miraculous power of closing on the neck of the
judge, if he pronounced an unrighteous sentence; or on that of
the witness, if he swore falsely .f This so-called " lodhan
Morain" was found twelve feet deep in a bog in the county of
Limerick, on the estate of W. Bury, and was in the posses-
sion of that gentleman's family in 1783. It was again figured
in the Vetusta Monumenta, in 1 8 1 9, when it was the property of
the Earl of Charleville. See vol. v. Plate xxviii. Whether still
in existence is uncertain. The engraving of it is lOf inches
in diameter, and 3| across each boss. The article weighed
twenty-two guineas, or 5 oz. 17 dwts. 8 gr., according to
the weight of the guinea at that day, being thus somewhat
less than a third of No. 21, with which it has been fre-
quently confounded. Vallancey also states that a similar
article was found in the county of Longford, and sold for

* A. D. 15. In this reign lived Morann Mac Maein, son ofCairbre the Cat -headed,
Chief Brehon of Ireland, who possessed the celebrated Sin, or chain, called "7<tt
Morainn" which it is said would contract round the neck of a guilty person. See
Leabhar Gabhala; also notes to the Annals of the Four Masters, by Dr. O'Donovan,
who says this chain is mentioned in several commentaries on the Brehon Laws.

f To the Gearr JBearuigh, or short crozier of St. Barry, still in the possession of
the O'Hanley family, was attributed the like property ; and it was placed round the
neck, when used in swearing, in the counties of Roscommon and Longford, within tbe
memory of the writer. See the author's Description of the Alias- Tiyheantain. in
the Trans. R. I. A., Vol. xxi, Part ii.

22

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

twenty-six guineas. Among the Irish articles in the Collec-
tion of Trinity College, there is a splendidly ornamented boss,
4| inches wide, manifestly not belonging to any of those arti-
cles now known. (See a drawing thereof in Table 52 of the
Portfolio of the Museum, and a cast of it in the Comparative
Collection.) In 1749, a circular boss, 10 inches in diameter,
with a portion of a fluted diadem attached to it by gold
twist, was found in the bog of Cullen, county of Tipperary.*
We have thus an account of no less than ten golden diadems,
including the five perfect specimens, and a separate boss, now
in the possession of the Royal Irish Academy .f

The three following woodcuts, Figs. 550, 551, and 552,

Fig. 550. No. 21.

afford typical illustrations of these diadems ; and Figs. 553,

* See the Rev. Mr. Armstrong's communication to Governor Pownall, in the
Archaeologia, Vol. iii., p. 363, for an account of that and all the other gold articles
discovered in Cullen Bog, from June, 1731, to the year 1771.

t In vol. iii. of the Collectanea Antigua ofMr.C. Roach Smith, the late Crof-

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD DIADEMS. 23

554, and 555, represent the most remarkable forms of decora-
tion on their lateral ornamented bosses. No. 21, Fig. 550, is the
largest and most beautiful head-dress in the Collection. The
gold of which it is composed is very red ; and in style of orna-
ment and character of boss, as well as in the manner of fasten-
ing, this article differs somewhat from the others. The arched
or lunated portion consists of three elevated rolls, with rows
of conical studs on each, four on the upper, and three on each
of the two others. A very minute rope-shaped fillet occupies
the sulci between each elevation. The edges, both externally
and internally, are turned over stout twisted gold wires of
the torque pattern. The narrow extremities terminate in
strong and rather plain bosses, to the posterior plates of which
they are fastened ; not by wires or gold threads, as in each of
the other specimens, but by the plates being cut in several
places, and turned back upon the inside of the disc, and further
strengthened by stout bands of gold bent round them. This
joining, although firmly secured, does not, however, appear
to have been soldered, except at one or two points. The
discs are circular, and 2^ inches wide ; the posterior one is
plain, smooth, massive, and concave ; the anterior is flat, and
decorated like the arched portion with two rows of small
nail-headed elevations, surrounding a central umbo with a
double edging. The goldsmith, in making this article, ap-
parently first fastened the extremity of the arch to the poste-
rior disc in the manner described above, and then attached to
it the flat anterior plate by the overlapping of its edge. This
ornament, which is quite complete, though fractured in two
places, weighs altogether 16 oz. 10 dwts. 13 grs. ; it stands
ll inches high, the same across, is 5 in the clear of the

ton Croker has figured a circular gold plate, embossed like the disc of a diadem, and
which covered a similar article in copper. It was found in the county Cork ; and
if not a portion of a fibula, such as I have referred to at p. 557, Vol. I., it must have
been the anterior plate of the lateral boss of a diadem.

24

CATALOGUE OF THK MUSEUM.

opening, and 4| deep at top, but narrows to 2 inches at each
extremity. It was procured with the Sirr Collection, and is
said to have been found in the county Clare.

No. 18, Fig. 551, here shown in perspective, is slightly de-
fective at the upper edge ; it was in two portions when pre-
sented for sale in 1856, and in mending, it has been slightly

Fig. 551. No. 18.

contracted in the inner circle. It stands 8^ inches high,
measures 10 wide, is 4| across the open part, 4^ deep in the
broadest portion at top, and narrows to 2 at each extre-
mity. It is formed of a very thin plate of gold, and weighs
only 3 oz. 9 dwt. 23 gr. The ornamentation consists of
eleven plain raised ribs, with twelve roped bars between.
The edges are strengthened by a narrow hem or turn over of
the metal. A torque wire of two strands, apparently the re-
mains of its fastening to one of the lateral bosses, passes
through a number of holes in one end. This article, which

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD DIADEMS. 25

was found at Tory Hill, parish of Groom, county of Limerick,
was purchased from a dealer.

No. 20, one of the handsomest and most perfect diadems
in the Museum, formed of reddish gold, is here represented
by Fig. 552. Its ornament consists of five plain, broad, ele-

Fig. 552. No. 20.

vated bands, between which are four large funiform decora-
tions. A narrow roped fillet occupies the inner edge, and a
double and more elevated one, the outer. Portions of both
posterior discs of the terminal bosses, with radiating grooved
lines, still remain attached to the ends of the arch. We also
possess one of the anterior discs, shown below by Fig. 553.
The entire article weighs 7 oz. 8 dwts. 1 gr. ; it measures
lOf inches high, is 10 wide, 4| in the clear, 4| deep at top,
and 2 at each narrow end. The remarkably thin posterior
discs are still attached by gold-wire threads to the plain
ends of the arched or lunated portion, which pass into them,

26

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

as shown in the foregoing cut. This diadem was procured
with the Dawson Collection.*

The annexed illustration, drawn half-size, shows the re-
maining anterior disc of No. 20,
which weighs but 4 dwt. 23 gr.
It is flat, and composed of a
very thin plate, most elabo-
rately tooled, and hammered
up into a high central umbo,
surrounded by nine cones, each
encircled with a series of mi-
nutely raised lines of the most
delicate tracery. A transversely
decorated bur or fillet sur- Fj s- 553 - No - 20 -

rounds the edge, and another of a like description encircles
the central elevation.

Figure 554, also drawn half-size from the large scutiform
anterior disc of one of the bosses of No. 17, is most curiously
and elaborately decorated with
two rows of conical studs, sur-
rounding the central umbo, each
row enclosed Avithin a double
raised fillet, resembling twisted
wire. The umbo itself is en-
circled by a series of minutely
raised lines, from which it is
separated by another torque-
shaped fillet. This exceedingly
thin convex plate is attached
to the posterior disc by a turn over of the latter, and the union
is rendered more secure by a narrow hoop of gold, which
overlaps the marginal joining, and strengthens the whole ;

* Now that a taste has sprung up for personal decorations of the same pattern as
the ancient Irish jewellery, it is matter of surprise that head-dresses similar to our
ancient Minds have not been introduced.

Fig. 554. No. 17.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD DIADEMS. 27

the ends of the hoop are not soldered at the point of junction.
The annexed cut, Figure 555, is a back view of the posterior
disc of the same left boss, and
shows the most highly deco-
rated example of that portion
of the Mind in the Collection,
as also the manner in which the
termination of the lunated part
passes into the transverse slit,
where it is fastened above and
below the line of junction. The
character and design of the or-
nament is of a piece with that FIg ' 556 ' No - 17 '
employed in the arch and the anterior disc, but the studs and
intervening rope-work are more minute. Where the end of
the diadem overlapped and concealed a portion of the posterior
plate, the latter is plain, showing that even in these early days
of art, labour was economized. A broad funiform band mar-
gins the transverse slit for the reception of the end of the
arch, which is there decorated with a row of small nail-headed
projections, while the other ornaments of this portion, as seen
from the obverse, are indented. Above the line where the
end of the plate passes into the boss, may be seen three per-
pendicular, and below it two longitudinal stitches. Some of
these sewings are effected by slight square wire ; but in others
the fastenings are composed of fine woollen thread, round which
is twisted spirally a thin flat strip of gold, as already described.
That is in all probability the oldest specimen of woollen cord-
age now in existence in Ireland, and very likely dates from a
period anterior to the knowledge of either silk, hemp, or flax,
in this country. To the lower concave edge of the arch is
attached, by a staple, a small oval ring, evidently for the pur-
pose of fastening it to the head ; but neither in these fastenings,
nor in any other part of this ornament, can be perceived the
slightest trace of soldering ; and it may fairly be presumed that,

28

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

if that art was known to the fabricator, it would have been
employed, instead of the wire-sewing already described. The
other termination of the arch is attached to the posterior disc
of the boss, by no less than eleven stitches.

The diadem, No. 17, to which these bosses belong, is very
perfect, and most elaborately chased; it weighs only 4oz.
6 dvvts. 2 grs. ; and measures 10^ inches across the widest por-
tion, 5 in the clear of the open part; is 3| deep at top? and
3 at each extremity. The plate is thin, and the ornamen-
tation is formed of four plain elevated narrow ribs, between
each of which is an embossed fillet, consisting of two rows of
raised studs, with three coils of
rope-work between them, as
seen in this cut. There is only
one row of studs, and one rope- Fig. 556. NO. 17.

like fillet at each edge, which is turned in all round, to remove
the sharpness, and strengthen the plate. It was found in 1836,
lying on the gravel, four feet deep, beneath the surface of a
turf bog, on the lands of Burrisnoe, to the eastern side of Ben-
duff Mountain, county of Tipperary, and was procured by the
Academy along with the Dawson Collection.

The following detailed list enumerates all the articles of
this description in the Museum :

Case B contains five golden diadems, and a fragment of a sixth,
numbered from 16 to 21. No. 16 is a splendid golden diadem, of a
semilunar form, perfect, with the exception of the boss on the
right side; it is highly ornamented, with seven plain raised ribs, and
eight indented bars, each bar consisting of three rows, the oblique
roping of which is so regular as to appear to have been effected by
machinery. It is semi-ovoid in form, and composed of a very thin
plate of gold, but with the edges overlapping, to give it stability.
Each narrow extremity ends in a plain, very thin plate, which passes
through a slit in the back disc of the terminal boss on each side.
The arch is slightly dished, and measures 10 inches from out to out
of the lateral diameter, and is 5j in the clear of the opening. It is

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD DIADEMS. 29

4| deep at the top, and 2 J at each boss. There is only one anterior
boss remaining, that on the left side. It is highly ornamented, like
a shield, with a central conical umbo, and fourteen minor elevations,
surrounded by six circles. It is of still thinner gold than the body
of the ornament, and measures 2 J inches across. A series of small
conical projections surround the edge, within which there is a dou-
ble funiform elevation, similar to that in the diadem. Internal to
that line there are fourteen cones, as stated above. Still, within
these is a double twisted elevation, and yet more towards the
centre, a series of oblique radiating raised lines; then a double
rope, then five raised circular lines, like those round the umbo,
within which is a single rope, encircling the central elevation. This
plate was fastened upon the posterior disc by an overlapment of
the latter, as in the joining of modern tin-ware. It weighs 3 dwt.
22 gr. : and measures 2| inches across ; the whole diadem now weighs
4 oz. 5 dwt. 5 gr.

The posterior concave members of each boss remain in situ, and
are decorated with five rows of circular conical knobs, smaller than
those on the anterior side ; each row divided by a double roping.
It is cut transversely, to admit the small end of the lunular portion
of the diadem, which then passes down into the hollow between the
two discs. This slit is margined by a double roping, to correspond
with the cross roping embossed on the reverse side of the small end
of the diadem, precisely like Figure 555, from which it is difficult
to distinguish it, except by the size. The upper portion of this pos-
terior plate, which is concealed by the diadem, is plain ; thus we
see that labour was economized in early times. The lunular portion
was fastened to the boss by square wire, twisted into the torque pat-
tern, three above in line with the transverse funiform decoration, and
two below the transverse cut in the boss. This ornament was found
in a bog, one spade's depth under the surface, in the parish of Ard-
croney, near Nenagh, county of Tipperary. No. 17, another diadem
of the same size as the foregoing, but with less elevated chasing, and
having larger bosses; it is slightly imperfect on left outer edge;
plate thinner than that in No. 16; both anterior discs of bosses re-
main, right posterior disc broken; both sides of the left boss have
been figured at pp. 26, 27 ; the diadem itself is described at length
in the text, and a portion figured at p. 28. No, 18, the golden dia-

30 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

dem, figured and described at p. 24. No 19, the anterior disc of the
lateral boss of a diadem, much larger than any other in the Collec-
tion; it is more convex than usual in such articles; measures 4^
inches across, and weighs I6dwt. 2 gr. The decoration is ruder
than in any of the other specimens, and consists of a number of mi-
nute conical projections, with a donble circle externally. It formed
a portion of the old Collection of the Academy. See Mallet's Analy-
sis : _No. 6, gold, 8MO; silver, 12*18; copper, 5'94; lead, 0'28.
Trans. E. I. A., vol. xxii., p. 315. No. 20, the splendid gold dia-
dem, figured and described at pp. 25, 26. No. 21, the largest and
heaviest gold diadem in the Collection ; it is figured and described at
p. 22.

GORGETS, or NECK-COLLARS. While the precise use and
mode of wearing the lunulas, or moon-shaped plates, are ques-
tions still open to discussion, no doubt can exist as to the ob-
ject of the articles termed " Gorgets ;" for an exactly similar
piece of decorative defence was worn by modern soldiers
within the last few years.* Indeed, it may be fairly asserted
that no article of ancient personal decoration has descended to
our own time with less alteration than this ; and even when
no longer considered useful for defence, small figurative or
emblematic gorgets, of gilt brass, were suspended by ribbons
(furnished with rosettes) from the necks of infantry officers,
of which there is a specimen in the Comparative Collection of
the Academy's Museum. It is only within the last few
years that any of those ancient gold gorgets have been dis-
covered ; and as yet the only specimens to be seen in the pub-
lic antiquarian museums of Europe are those in the Irish
Academy's Collection.! They were all found together, in
March, 1854, with a vast number of golden antiquities, in

* We have no ancient Irish name that specially applies to gorget. Mvin-tore,
or neck -torque, was probably a generic term for several varieties of twisted neck or-
naments, but is certainly not applicable to the smooth, curved gorget.

t A sixth gorget, weighing 4 oz. 13 dwt., was also found ; it was purchased by
the late Lord Londesborough.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD GORGETS. 31

making the Limerick and Ennis Railway, through the town-
land of Mooghaun North, in the parish of Tomfinlough, near
Quin, and not far from Newmarket-on-Fergus, in the county of
Clare, and form a part of the great "Clare Find," a portion of
which was purchased by means of a Government grant and
subscriptions from some members of the Academy. It is said
that no less than 3000 worth of gold articles were disco-
vered on that occasion. Besides these gorgets, there were
found an immense number of rings and armillae, several
fibulae, and some small torques, the whole placed together in
a small stone chamber made for their reception, immediately
beneath the surface, in dry alluvial soil.

The Rev. Dr. Todd, then Secretary to the Academy,
brought all the circumstances of this most remarkable disco-
very under the notice of the stated meeting, held on the
26th of June following, and exhibited five gorgets, two neck-
torques, two unwrought ingots, and no less than one hundred
and thirty-seven rings and armillae ; the total weight of which
was 174 oz. 11 dwt. 7 grs. It is to be lamented that that
most valuable communication has not been preserved in our
Proceedings ; but the author having generously placed his
MS. notes at our disposal, we are here enabled to supply a
more authentic account of this discovery than has yet ap-
peared. There was a small mound of earth over the little
stone chamber in which the gold ornaments were found : the
rings and torques were twisted together, and covered on the
outside by the gorgets. This hoard, which was evidently
hidden in haste, was manifestly the spoil of a battle, foray, or
plundering ; but the depositors never returned for it. The
locality is not more than a quarter of a mile from one of the
largest earthen forts in Ireland, and lies north-east of the de-
mesne of Dromoland, the property of Lord Inchiquin, a
most remarkable fort,* which was, in all probability, the

* See Ordnance Map of Clare, sheet 42. The fort is not named on the map, but
a writer in the " Munster News" of the day stated that it was called Laungagh.

32 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

theatre of many a conflict in early times. This portion of the
ancient territory of Thomond was the scene of a great struggle
between the Norsemen and the native clans of the O'Briens.
The ancient tract on the Wars of the Gail (i. e. the Danes)
with the Gaedhil, or Irish, now in process of publication, con-
tains several notices of these conflicts, of which the following
is a summary :

" Mahon, brother of Brian, makes peace with the Danes.
But Brian, son of Kennetly [afterwards called Brian Bo-
roihme] was not pleased with this peace, but prepared to in-
flict all the evils in his power on the Danes ; and although all
others sat idle, Brian would not. He retired with vigorous
youths of the Dalcais into the woods and wildernesses of Tho-
mond, and immediately commenced hostilities against the
Danes. They erected huts and encampments in the forests
and solitudes of Hi Bloid* [the very district in which these
gold ornaments were found], and laid waste all between Loch
Derg and the River Fergus, and from Echtge to Tradree. |
The Danes enclosed the whole of Tradree with a wall of for-
tification; but Brian continued to harass them, and to cut
them off in small parties without number, at the same time
that he was so reduced himself that at one time he had but
fifteen youths to follow him." Soon afterwards Brian and
Mahon gained a great battle over the Danes at Laigh, in
Tradree. " They plundered Finn Inis, and Inis Mor, and
Inis da Dhromin, and the other islands of the river, and every
place that held the wives and children of the Danes; and

* " The descendants of Blod, the eldest son of Gas, ancestor of the O'Briens, in-
habited the region from them called Hy-mBloid. The territory is indicated . . in
the east of the county of Clare, and diocese of Killaloe." See Historical Memoir of
the O'Briens, by John O'Donoghue, A. M. Dublin, 1860 : p. 10 and note.

f Echtge, now Slieve Aughty, on the confines of Clare and Galway. Tradree,
or Tradraighe, is the name of a deanery in Clare, comprising nine parishes, among
which Tomfinlough, in which the gold was found, is one, as also the island of Inis-
da-dhrom, in the Shannon, at the mouth of the River Fergus. See Annals of the Four
Masters, O'Douovan's translation, and notes.

GLASSY METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD GORGETS. 33

there was much of gold and other wealth in these islands and
fortifications." MS. in Trin. Coll., H. 2, 17, pp. 34, 47, 61.

It is, therefore, not improbable that this hoard of gold,
the spoils of the Irish by the Danes, who are frequently de-
scribed by our ancient writers as " Exactors of Rings," may
have been deposited by that people before their final rout by
the victor of Clontarf. Had it been hidden by the Irish, the
knowledge of the circumstance would, most likely, have been
preserved, and it would not have remained unsought for or
undiscovered for upwards of eight centuries.*

The British Museum and several private Collections have
been enriched from that " Find;" but there is reason to fear
that a large portion of it found its way to the smelting pot.

The five gorgets have been arranged at the top of Case C.

Fig. 557. No. 25.

No. 25, figured above, is the largest and most perfect. It
measures 21 inches along its convex margin, is 7 across the

* For further notices of the " Clare find," see Proc. R.I. A., Vol. vi., pp. 1 1 3 and
VOL. II. D

34 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

widest part, and 5^ in the clear. It is formed of a seini-oval
stout plate of gold, 2 inches wide, measured over the broad-
est part of the convexity, and is f of an inch in the opening
between the terminal cups. These latter do not present pa-
rallel faces ; but when the article is laid on the flat, each looks
backwards, and slightly downwards. Their necks are deco-
rated in front with a highly engraved pattern, consisting of en-
circling fillets above and below a herring-bone pattern, as
shown in the annexed cut. It weighs 7 oz.
3 dwt. 12 gr. As, owing to its shape and
material, it is very flexible, it can be easily
passed round the neck by bringing one end
forwards and pressing the other backwards.

The discovery of these undoubted gorgets
or neck collars strengthens our belief that the
lunulae were intended for the head, as already

J Fig. 558. No. 25.

stated at page 12. The foregoing description
of No. 25 applies to the other four, the details of which are
given in the description of Case D, at page 41. Without any
exact knowledge on the subject of the ornaments and costume of
the Danes, at the time of their occupation of some of our cities,
it is impossible to form an opinion as to the character of the
" collar of gold which Malachy won from the proud invader ;"
but it is worthy of remark that the principal articles of gold in
the Copenhagen Museum are massive collars, round in sec-
tion, some hinged behind, and overlapping in front.

BEADS and NECKLACES in Irish, Fiam muinche either of
gold alone or gold and amber, were not uncommon in Ireland.
The most remarkable and unique objects of this description

124 ; also an article by the Rev. James Graves, in the Kilkenny Archaeological Jour-
nal, Vol. iii., p. 181 ; and the late Mr. Crofton Croker's paper in the Collectanea
Antiqua, p. 230 ; together with the newspapers of the period.

All the articles from the Clare find now in the Collection of the Academy were
procured through the instrumentality of the Rev. Doctor Todd, Charles Haliday,
Esq., and Christopher Fleming, M. D.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD BEADS.

35

are the eleven hollow balls, or large globular beads, which
were found by a peasant in a potatoe field near Carrick-on-
Shannon, in the county of Leitrim, in 1834, and of which
there are now seven in the Collection, arranged in Case C, and
numbered from 28 onwards. This illustration represents these

Fig. 559.

objects in their entirety, as they originally came into the pos-
session of Mr. West, of this city, before they were distributed
amongst several collections prior to the formation of the Aca-
demy's Museum ; and the annexed figure,
drawn from No. 31, represents one of
these articles separately. Each bull is
slightly compressed laterally, and is
formed of two hemispheres of very thin
gold plate, so made as to join with the
greatest accuracy, and to overlap for
about the sixteenth of an inch. They
were then soldered at the extreme edges, so slightly, yet inti-
mately, that the uniting material can only be discovered with
the aid of a lens. On the flattened side of each of these balls
there is an aperture somewhat less than a quarter of an inch
wide, with an everted lip, as if to prevent fraying of the band
on which they were strung. Those seven hollow balls now in
the Collection vary in size from 2f to 3$ inches in the great-

D2

Fig. 560. No. 31.

36 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

est diameter, and in weight from 1 oz. 8 dwt. 20 gr., as in
the least, No. 28, to No. 3lA, which is 2 oz. 7 dwt. 7 gr.
The entire set weighed 20 oz. 8 dwt. Several are now much
battered, but when found it is said that they were smooth
and perfect. It is apparent that a necklace formed of these
eleven balls must have descended as low as the breast. Re-
search does not aid our inquiries as to what class they were
worn by, whether chieftain, Druid-priest, or king, but their
ostensible use was that of a necklace of the largest and most
gorgeous description.*

One of the most elegant forms of ancient Irish gold orna-
ment is that here represented, the actual size, both on the
flat and in section,
and which may be
termed the Double
Conical Bead. It
is formed of two
very thin conical
plates, most ela-
borately decorated
with a series of mi-
nute concentric de-

, Fig. 561. No. 49. Fig. 62. No. 49.

pressions and eleva-
tions, and open at one side, but for what purpose it is now
difficult to determine.! In each of these plates there is a
large central aperture, through which passed a cylindrical
pipe, f inch long and f wide, punched all over from within
outwards, and which was fastened to the conical sides by an
interlapping edge, as shown by Fig. 562. The outer approxi-
mated edges of the discs were encircled with a stout plain
rim, or overlapping hoop, which held them together, like that
seen in the boss of the diadem, No. 17, described at page 26. It

* See The Dublin Penny Journal, Vol. iii., p 144.

f The late Crofton Croker, in his learned article on Irish gold, in C. Roach Smith's
Collectanea Antiqua, Vol. iii., p. 136, supposed them to be Bullse.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD BEADS. 37

weighs 8 dwt. 2 gr. There are the remains of four such
beads of different sizes in Case O, Nos. 48 to 5 1 , the largest of
which, No. 49, is that figured on the opposite page.* Nos. 41
to 47, in the same Case, are a row of cylindrical Beads, corres-
ponding in every respect with the tube or ferule still remain-
ing in the double cylindrical ornament just alluded to; and,
although they were found with the amber necklace discovered
at Cruttenclough, near Castlecomer, county of Kilkenny, and
now in the Academy's Collection (see Kail-case E), they
were probably originally bushings or centre tubes for conical
beads.

Two other forms of small conical beads are here shown,
the natural size. Fig. 563 represents a small embossed bead,
composed of two cones
joined in the centre: it
forms a portion of a neck-
lace of seven similar hol-

i t j -i T c Fi 8- 5 C3 - No. 36. Fie. 564. No. 52.

low beads, numbered from

34 to 40, in Case C, each weighing from 9 to 11 grains. Fig.
564 is drawn from one of a series of seven similar double
beads, numbered from 52 to 58, each consisting of two cha-
lice-shaped portions, joined in the centre, decorated with
transverse embossed lines ; and having small trumpet-mouthed
extremities. The average weight of each bead is 1 dwt. 8 gr.
The necklace to which this article belongs was procured with
the Sirr Collection ; and No. 35 forms a part of that which
was found at Cruttenclough, referred to above. This latter
belonged to Dean Dawson.

EAR-RINGS in Irish, Unasca are well represented by the

* In the collection of drawings now in my custody, made by G. Beranger at the
end of the last century, and to which reference has been made at p. 439, Vol, I., there
is a coloured illustration of a large and very perfect double conical bead of this de-
scription, which measures 2 \ inches in diameter. Except in size, the only difference
between it and that figured above consists in a small double-roped ornament along
the parallel edges of the transverse joining of the side plates.

38 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

gold articles in the Collection, and illustrated by the three fol-
lowing figures, drawn the actual size, from Nos. 62, 63, and
66, in Case C. Each ring is disunited, but was probably
closed after having been passed through a hole in the lobe of
the auricle. No. 62 is a close funiform, or torque-shaped ear-
ring, one of four similar in pattern, with small plain ends.

Fig. 565. No. 62. Fig. 566. No. 63, Fig. 5G7. No. 66.

It weighs 3 dwt. 4 gr. No. 63, Fig. 566, is a very beautiful
massive ear-ring of the torque pattern, formed of four flat nar-
row fillets, joined at their inner edges, like the great Tara
torque, No. 192, in Case E. These twisted bands terminate
in circular collars, from which the plain round ends proceed.
It weighs 12 dwt. 9 gr., and forms one of a pair said to have
been found near Castlerea, county of Koscommon, and pro-
cured with the Sirr Collection. Figure 567, No. 66, is of a
totally different character from either of the foregoing, and
consists of a number of transverse rolls or elevations, with a
wheel-like ornament in the centre. It weighs 9 dwt. 4 gr.

LONGITUDINAL GOLD PLATES, plain and decorated, some
long and narrow, as No. 82, Fig. 568 ; and others short and
broad, as No. 75, Fig. 569; or with central loops, as No. 73,
Fig. 570, have been frequently found in Ireland. There are
nine such articles arranged beneath the balls and beads in
Case C, illustrative examples of which are afforded by the
subjoined engravings. Their use has not with certainty been
determined; but in all likelihood the elongated specimens

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD PLATES. 39

were employed as fillets or forehead-bands, for confining the
hair, and the shorter ones may have hung over the brow.
Figure 568 represents, the actual size, a portion of No. 82,
which is 8 inches long. The ornament, which is in relief,
and would appear to have been struck with a die or stamp, is
more of the Scandinavian than the Irish pattern. The plate

Fig. 568. No. 82.

is very thin, and weighs only 5 dwt. It was found at Lam-
bay Island, in Dublin Bay ; and from the statement of a sword
being found along with it, it has been conjectured that it
formed part of the decoration of that weapon ; but the ac-
count afforded by the finder is not very clear as to the circum-
stance of the discovery.

Figure 569, drawn one-half size from No. 75, shows a
thin decorated plate, one of four
similar articles, each with ten
transverse, raised, triple bars;
and which were either worn in
the hair, on the forehead, or
attached to the dress. It weighs 1 dwt. 17 gr. Figure 570,
No. 73, is a plain thin plate of gold, with a hook at top,
probably for a like purpose. It weighs 3 dwt. I7gr. There
are two such plates in the Collection.* See details of Case C,
at page 44.

* Golden fillets, or hair-bands, were not uncommon in Ireland ; one of the most
beautiful is that recently described by Mr. Windele in the Ulster Journal of Archaeo-
lo gy Vol. ix., part 33, for January, 1861. See an account of another similar hair-
band in the Kilkenny and South-East of Ireland Archaeological Journal, vol. i.,
No. 8, p. 361.

Fig. 669. No. 75.

40

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

No. 75, Fig. 569, together with Nos. 71 and 72, was
found during the ar-
terial drainage ope-
rations, in 1852,
in the bed of a
stream in the town-
land of Belleville,
parish of Kilmore,
county of Cavan, Fig. 570. NO. 73.

and were Presented by the Board of Works.

BREAST-PINS and BROOCHES of gold in Irish, Dealg
Oir are rare, especially in comparison with those of bronze
and silver, and were probably not in use in those early days
when the diadems, hair-plates, lunulas, torques, gorgets, neck-
laces, and double-headed mammillary fibulae, were the chief
personal metallic ornaments. But some of the most elabo-
rately wrought bronze, silver, and findyuin, or white metal,
brooches, and forehead decorations, were partially covered with
plates of gold, as already alluded to at pages 354 and 557,
Vol. I. These gold-plated articles will be again referred to
in the description of the articles of silver. A gold ring-
fibula of the bronze and silver pattern, and styled the "Dal-
riada Brooch," was found some years ago in the neighbour-
hood of Coleraine, county of Antrim, and figured and de-
scribed in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. iv., page 1.
In workmanship and style of art it is, however, much inferior
to many of our bronze and silver ring- brooches, and is proba-
bly of as recent a date as the twelfth century.*

See Proc. R. I. A., vol. vi., p. 302. Another golden ring-brooch, found in
Ireland, has been described in the ArchseologicalJournal, vol. xi., p. 285. For the
Irish names of breast-pins and brooches, see p. 554, Vol. I. of this Catalogue.

When the poet Aithirne visited the county of Carlow, as related in the Forbais
Edair, he procured a beautiful gold brooch, and carried it with him to Ulster. See
the curious account of this antique in Mr. O'Curry's "Lectures," p. 268, already re-
ferred to at p. 12. In 1801, the Royal Dublin Society purchased an antique gold
fibula, which was found in the county of Fermanagh. See Proc. of that body.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD BREAST-PINS. 41

The few breast-pins belonging to the Royal Irish Aca-
demy, arranged in Case C, from Nos. 83 to 88, are compara-
tively modern. They con-
sist of small ring-brooches,
three of which bear inscrip-
tions, and the two very light,
elegant pins shown, the ex-
act size, by the accompany-
ing illustrations. The short-
er, No. 83, Fig. 571, has a
double torque-pattern ring;
and the long pin of No. 84,
Fig. 572, has a drill-shaped
ferule and cross-bar at the
upper part. Its ring is plain
and unclosed. The former
article weighs 2 dwt. 12 gr. ;
and the latter 3 dwt. 14 gr.
The following is a detailed
list of the seventy-eight articles attached to Case C :

Fig. 571. No. 83. Fig. 572 No. 84.

Case C, on the eastern ground-floor, contains a series of decora-
tive articles Gorgets, Balls, Beads, Necklaces, Forehead-bands,
Plates, Pins, Brooches, Ear-rings, and Armillse numbered from 22
to 99. No. 22 is a small gold gorget, slightly imperfect at the ex-
tremities, flattened, and much battered; has a hole, apparently an-
cient, in one end; measures along its convex edge 16^ inches; weight,
2 oz. 4 dwt. 19 gr. ; found, with Nos. 23 to 27, and many other spe-
cimens of antique manufactured gold, among the great " Clare Find,"
described at p. 31. No. 23, a perfect gorget, of medium size, nearly
circular, narrow, slightly cracked on inner edge ; terminations
small, flat, and undecorated; 6 inches wide, 5 in the clear, 1 across
broadest part of turned-in edges, and ^ between the terminal en-
largements; Wt. 4 oz. 4 dwt. 4 gr. No. 24, a small, perfect gor-
get, thin, broad, and flat, partially bent and disfigured ; termina-
tions button-shaped; measures Scinches across, 4 in the clear, and
between ends; Wt. 2 oz. 8 dwt. 17 gr. No. 25, the largest and

42 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSKUM.

most perfect gorget in the Collection, figured and described as the
type of its class at pp. 33 and 34. No. 26, a very perfect narrow
gorget, more oval than the others; terminations slightly decorated
with the graver, but ornament rude and irregular ; ends button-
shaped and slightly convex; 6j inches wide, 4 in the clear, and l
across opening ; but the aperture seems to have been widened ; Wt.
6 oz. 8 dwt. 19 gr. Found, together with the four foregoing, in the
county of Clare. See p. 34. No. 27, a massive gold ring, figured
and described at p. 46. Nos. 28 to 33, a row of seven hollow gold
balls of different sizes, varying in diameter from 2f to 3f- inches,
and described at p. 35. No. 28, a hollow ball, the smallest and most
battered; Wt. 1 oz. 8 dwt. 20gr. ; purchased from Mr. West. No. 29,
ditto, in better preservation, and somewhat larger; 2J inches in
diameter; Wt. I oz. 9 dwt. 9 gr. (Dawson). No. 30, ditto, larger,
much battered; Wt. 2 oz. 7 dwt. 7gr. (Dawson). No. 31, ditto, the
largest and most perfect specimen ; 3f- inches in greatest diameter
across joining. See Fig. 560, p. 35. No. 3lA, the most perfect
specimen in the set, 3f inches in diameter; Wt. 2 oz. 7 dwt. 7 gr. ;
procured while this page was correcting. No. 32, ditto, in tolerable
preservation, but somewhat more flattened at the ends than any of
the others ; Wt. 2 oz. 8 gr. (Sirr). No. 33, ditto, in tolerable pre-
servation, but larger than the corresponding one on the opposite
side; Wt. 1 oz. 17 dwt. 13 gr. (Sirr).

Nos. 34 to 40, a row of seven small, hollow, double conical
beads, about half an inch long each, varying in weight from 9 to
1 1 grains, and together amounting to 2 dwt. 22 gr. One of these is
figured and described at p, 37. Nos. 41 to 47, a row of seven tu-
bular beads, embossed with different patterns, each about -f^ inch
long, and weighing from 5 to 7 grains; together amounting to
1 dwt. 18 gr. They, in all probability, originally formed the tubes
of large, flat, double, conical beads, such as those described in the
next lot, and one of which is figured at p. 36. These beads, with
those previously described, are said to have formed part of an amber
necklace, now in Railcase E, in Eastern Gallery, and found at Crut-
tenclough, near Castlecomer, county of Kilkenny.

Nos. 48 to 51, although of different sizes, and in great diversity
of preservation, evidently belong to the same variety of ornament,
the type of which is represented by Fig. 561, p. 36. No. 48, a

CLASS v. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD RINGS. 43

compressed gold bead, ^ inch in diameter, formed of two conical
portions, originally joined round a tube in the centre, and open at
the side; Wt. 2 dwt. 19 gr. Purchased from a dealer. No. 49,
ditto, large, figured and described at p. 36. No. 50, ditto, of very
fine thin gold; although somewhat smaller, it is still more perfect
than the foregoing, and is most elaborately tooled in concentric cir-
cles on the sides; ! inch in diameter, and ^ across central tube;
Wt. 5 dwt. 2 gr. No. 51, a small conical bead, now flattened and
horseshoe-shaped; minutely decorated on side-face; something more
than | inch wide^Wt. 20 gr. Nos. 52 to 58, a row of seven thin,
embossed, chalice-shaped gold beads, a typical gaecimen of which is
figured and described at p. 37. Each is abvw J inch long, and
weighs from 1 dwt. 4gr. to 1 dwt. 10 gr. (Sirr) JNo. 59, a torque-
shaped, penannular ear-ring, with small^plam ends; about f of an
inch in diameter; Wt. 1 dwt. 6 gr. No. 60, ditto; inch wide in
opening; Wt. 1 dwt. 1 gr. No. 61, ditto; thicker; 1 inch in diame-
ter; Wt. 2 dwt. 15 gr. No. 62, ditto; Wt. 3 dwt. 4 gr. These four
twisted ear-rings were procured with the Dawson Collection. The
last is figured and described at p. 38- No. 63, the large torque ear-
ring, figured and described at p. 38. No. 64, ditto, apparently the
match of the foregoing, but somewhat lighter, and differing slightly
in the form of the shoulder and collar; 1^ inch wide; -Wt. 11 dwt.
20 gr. Found at Castlereagh, county of Roscommon (Sirr). No.
65, ditto, but smaller and slighter; wants the collars at extremities
of torque portion; l inch wide; Wt. 5 dwt. 8gr. Found in the
county Meath (Sirr). No. 66, an ear-ring of a different pattern to
foregoing, figured and described at p. 38. No. 67j a small ring-
pendant, with a hollow ball attached to it by a loop, probably a
portion of an ear-ring; Wt. 13 gr. Nos. 68 and 69, in two parts, a
golden tassel pendant from a loop, probably part of an ear-ring;
1 inch long ; Wt. 2 dwt. 3 gr. No. 70, the fragment of a gold orna-
ment, consisting of a central stem, with wire-work like that in a
whip-handle, rising into three bars round it; probably part of an
armlet; it appears to have been cut across with a sharp tool; 1 inch
long; Wt. 6 dwt. 1 gr. No. 71, a thin gold plate, 3 inches long;
decorated; Wt. 1 dwt. 13 gr. ; found with Nos. 72 and 75. No. 72,
ditto, somewhat larger, but torn across the centre; ornamented

44 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

similar to foregoing, with marginal and transverse lines in two sets ;
measures 4 T l g- inches by 1|-; Wt. 2 dwt. 5 gr. No. 73, ditto, plain,
with a loop at top ; figured and described at p. 40. No. 74, ditto,
plain; 5 inches long, and 1^ wide; Wt. 4 dwt. 3 gr. No. 75, a thin
plate, similar to No. 7 1 . See Fig. 569, p. 39. No. 76, ditto, larger,
corresponding to No. 72, on opposite side of Case, with transverse de-
corative bars, and ornamented edge; 4 T 'g- inches long, by l broad;
Wt. 2 dwt. 4 gr. ; found in the county of Cavan, in same locality as
Nos. 78, 79, and 80. See p. 40. No. 77, a narrow plate, possibly
used for confining the hair; 9 inches long, and -j^- wide; decorated
with a funiform pa.felern, produced by punching from behind. One
extremity is enc. Bed by a narrow collar, probably used for fasten-
ing it when coi^Djc^te; Wt. 1 dwt. 2 gr. Nos. 78 to 81, four thin
gold plates, apparently parts of the same or similar articles. The ex-
tremities of the first and last are rounded off. As now placed, the
entire article measures 11^ inches, and weighs 8 dwt. 5 gr. No.
82, a highly decorated golden fillet, figured and described at p. 39.
No. 83, a gold breast-pin, figured at p. 41. No. 84, another of the
same class, also figured and described at p. 41. No. 85, a small cir-
cular gold brooch, with pin, f inch wide; has this inscription on
back of ring: " % JESUS MARIA, H. vi. ;" Wt., 22 gr. No. 86, ditto,
somewhat larger; 1| inch across; Wt., 5 dwt. 3 gr. ; on the re-
verse is the following inscription : " f PAR -f AMVB + FIN + svi . DVNG."
No. 87, a small ring-brooch, ending in a pair of praying hands,
with a dagger-like pin ; one of a pair ; has an inscription round the
inner margin, not now sufficiently distinct for transcription ; Wt.,
1 dwt. 5 gr. No. 88, another of the same size, but somewhat
lighter, and differently ornamented ; Wt., 22 gr.

No. 89, a contorted armilla, plain; Wt., 7 dwt. 14 gr. Found,
along with the bronze celt, No. 578 (Dawson). See p. 430, Vol. I.
No. 90, a plain gold penannular armilla, slightly bulbous at extre-
mities; 2| inches in diameter; Wt., 19 dwt. 16 gr. Found in the
county of Carlow, with Nos. 1 71, 172, 273, and 279. Nos. 91 and
92, two small gold armillse, each 2| inches in diameter ; the first
weighs 6 dwt. 14gr., and the second 6 dwt. They are both plain,
but slightly enlarged at the extremities, and formed a part of the
great Clare Find, described at p. 31, and were Presented by Charles

CLASS v. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD ARMILL.E. 45

Holiday, Esq. No. 93, a gold armilla, plain, slightly enlarged at
extremities; 2 inches in diameter; Wt., 1 oz. 7gr. (Dawson). No.
94, ditto, smaller, plain, oval; 2| inches in diameter; Wt., I6dwt.
17 gr. Found, with Nos. 95, 96, 98, and 99, at Strokestown, county
of Roscommon, and Presented by the Earl of Clarendon. Seep. 51.
No. 95, a flat, plain, armilla, apparently unfinished, narrow at ex-
tremities; ^an inch broad; 3 inches wide; Wt., 1 oz. 11 dwt. 13 gr.
No. 96, ditto, smaller; Wt., 1 oz. 8 dwt. 12 gr. Found, and pre-
sented as above. No. 97, a flat, oval bracelet, figured and described
at p. 52 (Sirr). No. 98, ditto, also figured and described at p. 52.
No. 99, ditto, 2| inches in diameter; extremities broad; Wt., 1 oz.
1 dwt. 6gr. Found and presented as Nos. 94, 95, 96, and 98.

BRACELETS and ARMILLA in Irish, Failge Oir are of
two kinds ; Perfect Rings, either plain or twisted, of rare oc-
currence ; and penannular or Unclosed Rings, for apparently
a like use, and found in great abundance.* These latter are
described in the next section, page 49. The former are well
represented by the two following illustrations, drawn one-half
the actual size.

Figure 573, No. 27, in Case C, is* from a massive plain
ring, 4 inches in diameter, on which another small ring
plays, like the bronze article figured and described at page

" A.D. 3872. "It was Muineamhon that first caused chains of gold [to be
worn] on the necks of king* and chieftains in Ireland." Ann. Four Masters; see
also Annals of Cloumacnoise, in which it is said he "devised gould to be wrought
in chains fit to be worn about men's necks, and rings to be put on their fingers."

A. M. 3882. King Faildeargdoid derived his name from the circumstance of the
reddish golden rings then worn upon the hands of the Irish chieftains. Annals of
Four Masters, and Annals of Clonmacnoise ; see also Keating's History.

A. D. 1150. When Bishop O'Brolchain made the visitation of Cinel-Eoghaine
he obtained, among other tributes, " a gold ring of five ounce*" from Muircheartach
O'Loghloinn.

A. D. 1151. When Archbishop Gillamaclaig made the visitation of Connaught,
O'Conor gave him " a ring of gold of 20 ounces ; and O'Brolchain, Bishop of Deny,
got a ring of gold of two ounces weight, besides a horse and battle- dress, &c., from
O'Lyn, Chieftain of Sil-Cathasaigh in Antrim. Annals of the Four Masters, Dr.
O'Donovan's Translation.

46 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

570, Vol. I. It weighs 11 oz. 14dwt. 19 gr., and formed a
portion of the " Clare Find," described at page 31. Similar
articles are occasionally observed sculptured upon the breasts

of the statues of ancient Ro-
man generals, the small ring
being attached to the dress.*

Fig. 573. No. 27.

Fig. 574. No. 193

Figure 574, from No. 193, in Case E, presents us with the
finest specimen of the close twisted ring yet discovered in
the British Isles. It is 4 inches in the long diameter, weighs
13 oz. 1 dwt. 1 gr., and consists of three rods of gold, each
varying in thickness from the size of a man's little finger in
the centre, to that of a piece of whipcord at the extremities.
These rods are wreathed or twisted together, their outer ends
being wrapt round the joining, as shown in the cut, and the
other extremities hidden within the coil. It was found in
the county of Carlow.

During the period of the Danish invasions, and the partial
rule held by that people in certain parts of Ireland, our annals
and histories record many plunderings by the Northmen, in
which large quantities of gold were carried off. But, with
the exception of some iron swords, spears, and a few other

* Under the year 876, the Saxon Chronicle informs us that the Danes gave
hostages to King Alfred, " and then they swore oaths to him on the holy ring,
which they never before would do to any nation ;" possibly it may have been on
such a ring as that figured above. See also Proc. R. I. A., vol. xii., p. 504.

CLASS v. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD ARMILLJE. 47

implements of war, chiefly found in the city of Dublin and its
immediate neighbourhood, we have not yet met with any an-
tiquities which would appear to have belonged to that people.
Neither do the Collections of Denmark, Norway, or Sweden,
except in very few instances, contain any articles that can
with certainty be termed Irish. If our gold was carried by
the northern invaders to their own country (where they had
no native gold of their own), it was probably re-melted for
the purposes of Scandinavian jewellery. The gold ornament
in the Museum of the Academy, which more particularly
bears the impress of Scandinavian art, is the large ring, pro-
bably an armlet, figured below, one-half the true size, and

Fig. 575. No. 290.

which was recently found, it is said, near Clonmacnoise, in
the King's County, along with the twisted neck-torque, No.
291, figured at page 74, both now attached to Case E. This
consists of a large, thin, hollow ring, 5^ inches in diameter,
with a hollow, decorated bulb on one side, and on the other a

48

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

Fig. 576, No. 290.

spiral enlargement, each with an embossed pattern, differing
altogether from the style of ornament observed in any of our
golden ornaments of native origin, as may be seen by the ac-
companying cuts, Figs. 576 and 577, both drawn the actual
size.

The first represents the large bulbous ornament, in which
the enrichment is in relief, and the concave portions be-
tween the central
and the lateral de-
corations are punch-
ed all over, so as to
give them a frosted
appearance. All the
parts of this orna-
ment are complete
and continuous ; but
in the upper mem-
ber there is an aperture for a pin or rivet, which fastened the
hollow end of the ring at this place. Whether this mode of
joining was temporary, it would not be possible, in the pre-
sent state of the article, to decide.

Fig. 577 shows the enlargement on the opposite side of
the ring, and represents a continuous band, which interlaces
with itself, and forms a sort
of whip-handle-work decora-
tion at this part. Its sur-
face is covered with an in-
voluted raised and embossed
pattern, as if [made by a
thread of gold-wire laid upon its surface. The whole article
weighs 3 oz. lldwt. 12 gr. Similar articles, both in gold
and bronze, but wanting the second enlargement, are pre-
served in the Copenhagen Museum.* The Academy is in-

Fig. 577. No. 290.

* See Worsaae's Nordiske Oldsager, 1859, Plate 56, Fig. 260, and Plate 85
Fig. 367.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD MlMllLJE. 49

debted to the Government for this article, which, together with
the neck-torque, No. 291, were the first golden antiquities
procured under the recent treasure-trove regulations. Both
Pococke and Vallancey have figured and described massive and
highly decorated bracelets found in Ireland in their times ; the
latter mentions the circumstance of " ten golden bracelets,"
found in Connaught in 1802, having been purchased for 700.*

UNCLOSED RINGS, AHMILL^E, BRACELETS, and CUP-TER-
MINATED FIBULA, of different shapes, patterns, and styles of
ornament, but all bearing a certain amount of affinity to an
original type, have been discovered in great quantity, at diffe-
rent times, in Ireland. They have been found either singly
or in hoards, as in the great gold find of Clare ; and in some
instances were crushed together, as if hidden in haste. The
frequent mention in our early histories of royal personages
having bestowed rings of gold on poets, bards, philosophers,
and warriors, and the number of cases in which tribute was
paid in similar ornaments, is confirmed by the many instances
in which such articles are found throughout the country in
the present day.

In addition to the many references given in the foregoing
text and notes, we may mention the following. It is related
that, in the early part of the first century, the wife of Nuadha
Necht, the Poet-King of Leinster, who gave her name of
Boann to the River Boyne, used to have her arms covered
with rings of gold, for bestowal on poets and men of learn-
ing, f This royal patronage of poetry and history affords

* The Martyrology of Donegal on 17th June, noticing St. Moling, says, " One
night that Moling sent his fishermen to catch fish, they caught a large salmon
in the nets ; and when it was split open, there was found a ring of gold [Failge oir]
in its belly, and Moling divided the gold into three parts ; one-third he gave to the
poor, and one-third to cover a relic, and the other third to do labours and works,
&c." A. D. 696.

t See MS. Brehon Law, in Library, Trinity College, Dublin, H. 18, p. 545,
quoted in Dr. Petrie's work on the Ecclesiastical Architecture and Round Towers of
Ireland, p. 213.

VOL. II. B

50 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

one of many reasons to account for the amount and state
of preservation of our domestic annals.

We do not find reference to Anklets, such objects of per-
sonal decoration being chiefly confined to the inhabitants of
warm climates, by whom the lower limbs are generally less
covered than among people inhabiting the colder regions of
the north and west.

The simplest form of bracelet is that of a plain ring, round
or oval in shape, about 2f inches in diameter, to fit the wrist,
and either flat or circular in section, unclosed at one side, and
having the ends separated for about an inch, for greater faci-
lity of adjustment. In most instances, the extremities of the
latter are enlarged or dilated into conical bulbs, with flat
cymbal-shaped faces ; or hollowed into cups, varying from
slight, shallow, saucer-like concavities, to those resembling a
goblet or the calix of a flower. Most of these rings are thick
in the centre, and fine off gradually towards their bulbous
ends. Others of a rarer description consist of a square bar of
gold, twisted into the torque pattern, but without terminal
enlargements. Several of each kind have been found in
pairs. It is not unlikely that several bracelets of different
patterns were worn together, as in the present day. Some of
the plain, flat, and cylindrical rings are arranged in Case C,
but the great majority of these specimens of ancient jewellery
are in Case D, in the western ground-floor of the Museum.
Each variety is illustrated in the following pages.

Golden Ingots, generally of an elongated oval form, tri-
angular in section, and of various weights, have from time
to time been found in different parts of Ireland ; but, as they
did not possess artistic value, they have been generally melted.
We have one small article of this description in the Academy's
Museum, No. 283, in Case F, figured, the natural size, on
the opposite page. It weighs 1 2 dwt. 9 gr. Two similar in-
gots, the one weighing 3 oz. 12 dwt. 5 gr., and the other
1 oz. 6 dwt. 12 gr., were among the articles discovered at

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD ARMILL^. 51

Mooghaun, county of Clare, already referred to. Each of
these ingots could, by a little hammering and manipulation,
be turned into apenannular armlet, either
flat or cylindrical, and their weights cor-
respond within a few grains with those
of some of the armillae alluded to at p. 3 1 . ** 578 - No -

By the two subjoined cuts are shown what would appear
to have been stages in the formative process of these arm-
bands. Figure 579 is drawn,
the natural size, from a por-
tion of a plain bar of gold,
with a bulbous hammered Fig ' 579 ' Na28 *-

end, apparently intended for the usual terminal enlargement
of such an article. It is 7^ inches long, and weighs 1 oz.
17 dwt. 6 gr. It was found near Camgaholt, county of
Clare. Figure 580, No. 280, represents a straight bar of

wrought gold, thick fi ^

in the middle, and *^~ *^

slightly enlarged at Fig ' 580 - No - 28a

the extremities. It is much more finished than the former,
measures 6f inches in length, and weighs 2 oz. 17 dwt. 1 gr.
It is, in fact, finished in all respects, except the curvature, and
closely resembles No. 113, in Case D. These three articles
are attached to Case F, and they show that the manufacture
of such articles was carried on in this country.

There are five examples of the plain, flat, unclosed hoop
of gold in the bottom row of Case C, numbered from 95 to 99.
In shape and workmanship they greatly resemble similar an-
tique articles in silver found in Ireland. Of the two figured
below, No. 98, which is perfectly plain, with slightly everted
edges, and somewhat oval in form, measures 2 inches in dia-
meter, and weighs 1 oz. 4 dwt. 18 gr. It was found, with four
others, " lying just between the gravel and turf, at a depth of
six feet under the surface, in the townland of Vesnoy, near
the ruins of Urney Church," in making a new cut through

E 2

52 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

the demesne of Strokestown, during the arterial drainage ope-
rations in the county Roscommon, in 1849, and was Presented
by the Earl of Clarendon^ then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Fig. 581. No.9& Fig. 582. No. 97.

See Proceedings, vol. iv., page 389, and vol. v., page 49, A pp.
No. 97 is slightly decorated, and the hoop contracted towards
the ends. It measures 2| inches across; weighs 16 dwt.
16 gr. ; it was found at Abbey Fore, county of Westmeath,
and was procured with the Sirr Collection.

Figure 583, drawn, half size, from No. 191, in Case E, re-
presents a solid armlet, punched all over, like some of the or-

Fig. 583. No. 191. Fig. 584. No. 194.

namentation on Scandinavian rings. It weighs 2 oz. 1 dwt.
5gr., and was found, along with a plain but massive gold ring,
12 ounces weight, in the year 1833, near Trimleston Castle,
on the Boyne, county of Meath, and was procured with the
Dawson Collection.* One of the most beautiful penannular

* There is a model of the large ring alluded to above now in the illustrative Col-
lection of the Academy.

See Dublin Penny Journal, vol. i., p. 413, where both rings are delineated

CLASS T. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD ARMILL/E. 53

armlets in the Collection is the smooth, massive, cylindrical
ring, with ornamented ends, No. 194, in Case E, figured
above, one-half size. It weighs 3 oz. 15 dwt. 4 gr. See
Proceedings, vol. v., p. 85.

The two following cuts, half the size of the originals, illus-
trate the light torque-shaped armlet, and that with enlarged
and slightly cupped extremities, No. 172, in Case E, and

Fig. 585. No. 172. Fig. 586. No. 118.

No. 118, in Case D. The former is from a light, four-sided
bar of gold, twisted into the torque pattern, and weighing
13 dwt. I7gr. It was found,< with its fellow, No. 171, and
other specimens of antique gold manufacture, in the county of
Carlow. Similar arm-rings may be seen in the Copenhagen
Museum. The latter, No. 1 18, in CaseD, is a good specimen
of the unclosed bracelet, and differs slightly from the gene-
rality of these articles in not being cylindrical, but present-
ing a flattened quadrangular figure in section. It has the ap-
pearance of having been much worn, and its extremities are
slightly cupped. It is 3 inches in diameter, weighs 3 oz.
12 dwt. 2gr., and formed part of the "Clare Find," described

and described by Dr. Petrie. Even so enlightened and philosophical an antiquary
as the learned author of that notice, then believed that " rings of this kind were
not only used as ornaments, but, before the introduction of minted coin, served as
money;" and observed that even the torques and collars "served in lieu of money."
That such valuables may have been occasionally used in barter, and, in the same
way as cattle or any other marketable commodity, passed from hand to hand in these
early times, before the introduction of coin, cannot be denied; but that they were
originally intended for such purposes, or bore any specific value beyond that of gold,
or that they were made any particular weight, remains to be proved.

54 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSKUM.

at page 31. Similar penannular articles of bronze, with en-
larged extremities, are occasionally found in Ireland, of which
Fig. 479, page 570, Vol. I., is a good example. There are
nineteen armillae arranged at top of Case D, the details of
which are given at page 66.

As may be seen by a careful inspection of the specimens
of nearly every variety of weapon, tool, or ornament in our
Collection, a gradual process of development of some particu-
lar part, or of some special design or style of decoration, is
carried on throughout a series of articles, not always applied
to the same purpose, but traceable from the rudest to the most
elaborate examples of ancient art. This principle is very ap-
parent in the transition from the simple unclosed ring, evi-
dently used as an armlet, to a wide-spread fibula, with broad,
shallow, or saucer-shaped extremities, as shoAvn in the follow-
ing section, under the head of Mammillary Brooches, and as
a glance at Case D affords convincing proof. First, we have
the plain cylindrical ring, enlarged at the ends into flat, button-
shaped knobs, as in Nos. 100 to 104, 106, 113, 115, and 116.
Then the ends become slightly concave, as shown by Nos. 105,
107 to 11 2, 114, 117, and 118; afterwards they were deepened
into cup or goblet-shaped terminations, many of which are
adorned round their lips, and where the collars join the stems,
with the usual lineal engraving, so characteristic of early Irish
art. At the same time, the hoop was made either hollow or
semicircular in section, as if to economise the material ; for
examples of which, see Nos. 141 to 145, and 148 and 150.
Finally, the ring or hoop was lessened in girth, and spread
outwards, and the dish-shaped terminations enlarged and ex-
panded, until it is manifest that the article was applied to ano-
ther 'purpose, and became a fastener, and not a bracelet, as
maybe seen in Nos. 120 and 121. But the transition is so
gradual, even in the comparatively limited number of speci-
mens presented by the Academy's Collection, that it is diffi-
cult to decide where the armilla ends and the brooch or fibula

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD ARMILLJE. 55

commences.* The same change by which one part of an ar-
ticle is retrenched, and another enlarged and developed, so
as to become the chief object of decoration or of use, is well
seen in the ring-brooches of bronze and silver.' The foil owing
engravings illustrate this position. Figure 587, drawn from
No. Ill, represents, half size, a cylindrical unclosed ring,
weighing 1 oz. 8 dwt. 22 gr., with thin, hollow, goblet-shaped
extremities, half an inch deep, decorated round their edges
by raised fillets, and having slightly engraved circular and
zig-zag lines round the hoop for about an inch below their

Fig. 587. No. 111. Fig. 588. No. 142.

attachments. In Figure 588, also drawn, half-size, from No.
1 42, may be seen the same variety of article on a larger scale,
in which the handle is hollow, and the flower-shaped cups are
beautifully engraved both within and without their lips. The
collars are also decorated with the dog-tooth form of ornament,
which, however, only occupies two-thirds of the circle, proba-
bly to economize labour. Presuming that this article was worn
on the wrist, we can only account for the retention of the
cups by supposing that it was the fashion or style of art of

* This shows the necessity for the guardians of a public collection obtaining and
arranging in their proper places every article which can be procured, so that as many
links as possible in the chain of art may be exhibited together. Possibly these
different varieties in form and style of decoration, among our antique gold orna-
ments, may have indicated different grades in society ; but on this subject nothing U
yet certain.

56 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

the period, a reason equally applicable to many unaccountable
fashions in the jewellery of the present day. It weighs 2 oz.
4dvvt. 5gr., and was found in the townland of Faunrusk, parish
of Templemaley, near Bally vaughan, county of Clare, in 1859.

In Figure 589, drawn, half-
size, from No. 139, the hoop is
very slender, and the cups deep
and conical, with filleted edges. It
weighs 17 dwt. 13 gr. In No. 150,
the last article at the bottom of
Case D, represented below, one-
third the true size, by figure 590,

Fig. 689. No. 139.

the cups are shallow, and the hoop

semilunar in section. It weighs 4 oz. 7 dwt. 1 gr. These ar-
ticles were both procured with the Dawson Collection.

Hundreds of those unclosed hoops, with terminal cups,
have been found in Ireland, and specimens of them may be
seen in most of our Museums. The cele-
brated full- sized bas-relief of the Roman
standard-bearer, not long since discovered
in the vicinity of Mayence, throws much
light upon several of our ancient orna-
ments. The right fore-arm is decorated
with unclosed armilla;; two penannular Fig ' 59a No - 150 '
fibulas, with enlarged and decorated terminations, are sus-
pended from a strap which passes across the breast, and be-
neath these there are rows of circular phalera, like the round
gold plates which will be found figured and described at page
83. Both these ornaments are regarded by Lindenschmit*
and other German antiquaries as decorations analogous to the
medals worn in modern times. Presuming that certain ranks,
professions, or grades of society in Ireland wore particular
forms of ring or fibula decoration, we have at once a clue to the

" Die Altherthiimer unserer heidinschen Vorzeit" Heft iv.. Tafel 6.

CLASS v. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD FIBULAE. 57

varieties and form of ornamentation to be seen even in those
gold articles which have been preserved to the present day.

There are at present forty-six golden armillae in the Aca-
demy's Collection, 1 1 in Case C, 27 in D, 5 in E, and 3 in P.

MAMMILLARY FIBULAE. For the sake of distinction and
arrangement, we have applied this term to a class of gold or-
naments, of great diversity of size, found in abundance in
Ireland. They have been attached to Case D, in the Western
Compartment of the ground-floor of the Museum, adjoining
the door of the Moore Library.

As we traced the gradual formation of the cup from the
flattened knob, as described in the foregoing section, so we
may here follow the further development of that part to its
greatest extent, among articles in which the staple-shaped
handle portion becomes of secondary importance. Interme-
diate between these two varieties, represented by Figs. 588
and 592, there is another, in which the handle is wider,
proportionably thinner, and less annular; and in which the
discs are broader, shallower, and not attached by their cen-
tres, but towards their inner margins. Nos. 120 and 121,
in Case D, are good examples of this variety. The former
is here represented, one-half the actual size, and is further

Fig, 591. No. 120.

remarkable for having the apertures between the shallow,
saucer-shaped discs and the hollow handle still unclosed. It
was probably left unfinished at that part. It is the second

58

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

largest fibula in the Collection, is of bright yellow gold, and in
fine preservation. The edges of the cups are decorated with
thorough flutings, one of the few instances of that peculiarity in
this variety of ornament in the Museum. Each cup is 2
inches in diameter ; and when the article is laid on the flat of
these portions, it stands 2^ inches high. It weighs 5 oz-
5 dwt. 16 gr.* There are eight articles of this description at
present in the Collection, Nos. 120 to 122, and 146 to 150.
This last No., however already figured at p. 56, partakes more
of the character of an armilla than a fibula.

The subjoined engraving, Figure 592, drawn, one-third
size, from No. 122, represents the largest example of the mam-

Fig. 692. No. 122.

millary fibula which is known to have remained to the present
day. It consists of two broad, cup-shaped discs, each 5 inches
in diameter, set If inch apart, and united by a staple like the
handle of a drawer, as seen in the foregoing illustration. The
entire article measures 1 1 inches in length, and weighs 1 6 oz.
17 dwt. 4 gr. The internal surfaces of the cups bear marks of
hammering all over them. The comparatively short, thick
handle is hollow, and measures 4A inches in circumference at

* Mr. Law, of Sackvillc-street, possesses a very fine specimen of gold fibula, in
shape somewhat between that of the foregoing and Fig. 590. The handle portion is
lozenge-shaped in section. It weighs 6 oz. It has been in his establishment for
manv years.

CLASS v. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD FIBULAE. 59

the broadest part. Placed on the flat, it stands 3f inches high.
The edges of the cups are turned over, and decorated exter-
nally with deeply-grooved flutings ; and a smaller, but simi-
lar form of ornament encircles each neck, or narrow portion
of the handle. Each cup, which is If inch deep, gradually
slopes inwards from without, for about 4 inches, to the point
of junction with the handles, which would appear to have
been attached after they were made. This beautiful article
was found in the year 1819, at Castlekelly, county of Roscom-
mon, five feet deep in gravel, below where fifteen " spit" of
turf had been cut, and it was for a long time believed to be
brass. It was procured by D. H. Kelly, Esq., for the late
Dean Dawson, and came into the Museum with that gentle-
man's Collection.

Various have been the conjectures respecting the uses of
gold ornaments of this description ; but an examination of kin-
dred articles in bronze, preserved in the Museums of Copen-
hagen and Mayence, sets the question at rest. They were
fibulae, or brooches, in the fastening of which a portion of the
soft woollen cloak or mantle passed in between the cups or
discs, into the space under the handle, and was there fastened
by means of an acus or pin, temporarily affixed to one side of
the handle, where it joins the cup. In some instances, the
ends of the pin were bifid, and clasped round the handle by
means of a spring, as in the case of a bronze fibula in the Co-
penhagen Museum, figured by Worsaae, in the last edition of
his Nordiske Oldsager. See Plate 51, Fig. 231. In other
instances, as those in the Mayence Museum, of one of which
there is a model in the Academy's Comparative Collection,
the pin was fixed by means of an unclosed ring, attached
to one extremity. In wearing, it is very possible that the pin
was first passed through the dress, and then adjusted to the
brooch by means of its spring, or open ring ; but by what other
devices these ornaments were held in position, we have now
no means of determining. Upon a careful examination of a

60 CATALOGUE OF TUB MUSEUM.

great number of mammillary fibulae, we have found two cir-
cumstances corroborative of the foregoing observation. The
places in which these articles have been most worn are inva-
riably at the junction of the handles with the cups, where the
loop or clasp at the extremity of the pin would play ; and also
the edges of the cups, where they would rub naturally against
the person.

In the Museum of Trinity College there is a magnificent
fibula of this description, with solid handle and massive cups,
which weighs 33 ounces (the heaviest now known to exist),
and decorated all over the external surface of the cups with
circular indentations surrounding a central indented spot ; it
has also a very elegantly engraved decoration encircling each
collar, where the handle is joined to the cups, the inside lips
of which are also beautifully ornamented. It is 8| inches
long. The cups are more bell- shaped than in that belonging
to the Academy, Fig. 592, and are also set on to the handle
at a different angle, possibly to adjust it to the part of the

shoulder where we know, from some of the Roman and Frank-
ish statues, the ancients occasionally wore the fibula.*

The accompanying illustration, one-third the size of the
original, affords a faithful representation of this most beauti-
ful article, which stands nearly 3| inches high.f Within the last

* See Die Vaterldndischen Alterthumer. der Fiirstlich Hohenzoller'schen Samm-
luriffen zu Sigmatingen. Mainz: 1860. S. 53, Fig. 35.

f Soe the coloured drawing of this and other Irish antiquities in the College

CLASS v METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD FIBULJE. 61

two years, a remarkably fine article of this description was
discovered near Keeper |Moun tain, county of Tipperary, by
some peasants, who sawed it across ; and the greater portion
of it was shortly afterwards sold to a Dublin jeweller for less
than its bullion value, and melted forthwith.* Pococke and
Vallancey have figured and described massive articles of this
description, several of them beautifully decorated. The lat-
ter author, who called them "double-headed paterae," supposed
them to have been used in " libations to the two chief deities
of the heathen Irish, viz., Budh and his son Pharamon, and
also to the sun and moon !"f The decorations and dog's-tooth
ornament on one of these articles he describes as typical repre-
sentations of the elements, water and fire, and also says "The
twelve circles may have represented the twelve signs of the
zodiac, and their spheres. The forty-eight pyramids correspond
with the number of the old constellations; and the seven trian-
gles of the handle to that of the planets." Collectanea, vol. vi.,
p. 240. Such were the interpretations offered and received
sixty years ago, by not a few, for the mere artistic decoration
of an Irish ornament ! The learned Bishop, however, was
not so speculative, but says, " whether it be a species of
fibula, or what else, I am utterly at a loss. Many such, diver-
sified by only a few ornaments, have been found, from time to
time, in different parts of Ireland."} That distinguished an-
tiquary published a drawing of one, found in the county of
Gal way, which weighed 15 oz. Vallancey has figured a
very remarkable one, about 9 inches long, but 4 in the
widest portion of the bow of the handle, which was found in

Museum, in Table 52, of the Catalogue of Illustrations in the Academy, and also the
model of it in the Comparative Collection.

* It is described by the Rev. Jas. Graves in the Proceedings of the Kilkenny
Archaeological Society see vol. 2, N. S., p. 445.

t Letter to Rev. J Dubourdieu, in the Statistical Survey of Antrim, published in
1812, p. 585.

J Arcbaeologia, vol. ii., p. 40.

62 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

the county of Galway, and weighed 52 guineas. Others, men-
tioned by Simon and Pococke, were also found in that lo-
cality.*

One of the largest mammillary fibulas recorded is that which
was engraved by Dr. Dubourdieu, in his Statistical Survey of
the County of Antrim, in 1812. It was not unlike that now
in the Academy, Fig. 592, but was much more highly deco-
rated. It measured 11^ inches in length, and weighed 19 oz.
1 dwt. Vallancey gave casts of two large fibula3 of this de-
scription to the Museum of Trinity College. They are very
large, plain, and massive, the handles being wider and more
arched, and the cups smaller and deeper than in any of the
before-mentioned. One of these would appear to have been
made from that represented by No. 2, pi. vi., vol. iv., of the
Collectanea, which weighed lOoz.

In the illustrative Collection of the Academy, there is a
metal cast, presented by Dr. Petrie, of a very remarkable
article of this description. The handle is large, massive,
deeply bowed, embraced by a collar in the centre, and gradu-
ally enlarges into small, shallow, cup-shaped extremities. It
stands 3f inches high, and is 7 in length. The original,
which weighed 40 oz. 1 dwt., was discovered many years
ago on the estate of the late Henry Adair, Esq., near Dun-
boyne, in the county of Meath.

In the lower portion of Case i>, have been arranged a
number of kindred articles, but proportionally wider, and
more slender in the handles, and having smaller cups. In
most of these the handles are hollow, as in No. 142, Fig. 588.

* Mr. Simon's unpublished paper, referred to by Pococke in the Archaeologia,
vol. ii. , has at length been discovered in the Archives of the Society of Antiquaries of
London ; and I am indebted to the courtesy of its present Secretary, Mr. C. K. Wat-
son, for a copy of it. In one of the fibulae described and figured by Simon, and which
was about the size of No. 120 in the Academy's Collection (see Fig. 591, p. 57), the
handle is beautifully decorated over its entire length. It is that figured by Pococke
iu the Archaeologia, vol. ii., plate iii., fig. 1.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS t GOLD FIBULAE.

63

The subjoined illustration represents another variety of
the same class of ornament, but differing from the former in
having the discs perfectly flat, thin, and plain, and the solid
connecting bow or handle invariably highly decorated with
longitudinal groovings. This specimen, No. 123, is 5 inches
in length, and each circular plate 2| in diameter. Upon the
external face of one of the plates is a small loop, possibly for
the purpose of attaching a pin or a string to. This fact

Fig. 594. No. 123.

strengthens the conjecture already expressed, as to the object
and use of these articles. It weighs 4oz'. 15dwt. 19gr., and
was procured with the Dawson Collection.*

Below the centre of Case D have been arranged fourteen ar-
ticles of this description,
varying in size from that
of the foregoing, to No.
124, Fig. 597, which is
but half an inch in dia-
meter, and weighs only Fi - 595 - No - 13a Fi s- 596. NO. 125. Fig. 597. NO. 124.
2 dwt. 8 gr. In this descending scale, the plates gradually
lessen until they disappear altogether, as shown in the an-

* A similar gold article, with a small loop on the external face of one of the thin
circular plates, has been figured by Vallancey in the Collectanea, vol. iv., PI. xiv.,
Fig. 7, and described as an Aisin, which was " suspended by a string round the neck,
and hung at the breast. On the external plate is a small loop, into which was fixed
a slender golden wire, on which perched the Augur's favourite bird : the Hibernian
Druids fixed on the wren !" p. 96.

64 CATALOGUE OF THK MUSEUM.

nexed illustration, representing, the true size, No3. 133, 125,
and 124. The grooving upon these snail-shaped articles has
been effected with great precision, and adds a special lustre
to the metal. The extremity of each is also beautifully
tooled, apparently by engraving, as may be seen in the fore-
going illustrations ; but in every instance the inner curvature
is plain. In No. 133, weighing 17 dwt. 7 gr., the terminal
enlargements are turned slightly into the hollow of the bow ;
it was Presented by J. H. Monck Mason, Esq. See Pro-
ceedings, vol. ii., page 272. No. 125 weighs 7 dwt. 12 gr.,
and has the ends slightly enlarged, as if for the purpose of at-
tachment of plates, like those in Fig. 594. Figure 596, No.
125, was procured with theDawson Collection. In No. 124,
Fig. 597, there are no enlargements whatever; it is the se-
cond least specimen in the Collection ; while No. 137, on the
opposite side of the semicircle in which these articles are ar-
ranged on Case D, is less in size, but weighs 9 grains more.
All these articles were at one time supposed to be " ring
money ;" but an examination of the weights of this series will
show the absurdity of this theory.*

* Sir William Betham carried his " ring money" theory so far as to assert that
not only these, but every unclosed ring of any metal, gold, silver, bronze, or iron,
plain or decorated, square, flat, twisted, or cylindrical, with or without cups, plates,
or expanded extremities, and from the weight of 48 grains to 36 ounces, was a
specimen of " money." In his Etruria Celtica, vol. ii. p. iii., he copied (but without
the slightest acknowledgment) Mr. Dubourdieu's plate of the large Antrim fibula,
already referred to at p. 61, as an illustration of his views. He also says, " It was
found in a stone chest." Now, none of our gold antiquities have been found in stone
chests, the small sepulchral Kistvaens of the early Irish, nor in caverns referable
to a very remote period, but almost invariably in the ground, in bog or upland.
In General Vallancey's letter to the Rev. G. Dubourdieu, published in 1812 the only
record of that " find" it is stated that it was " sold by a peasant, who said he dug
it up in the parish of Ballymoney." See note, p. 61, of this^Catalogue. Further,
to show the inaccuracy of that writer, it may be mentioned that the weight of the
Ballymoney fibula was 19 oz. 10 dwt., and not 19 oz., as mentioned in the Etruria
Celtica. Again, Sir William Betham says in the same place " Vallancey mentions
one which weighed 56 oz." Two others are mentioned by Vallancey " one 15 oz.
and the other 1 oz. 12grs." The author of the Collectanea nowhere mentions a

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD FIBULJE. 65

It is quite possible that the small crescentic articles, with-
out plates, like No. 125, Fig. 596, are unfinished; for it is
manifest that the discs might have been attached after the
handle portions were completed, and perhaps engraved.

The following may have been the method by which these
articles, both large and small, were employed as studs or fas-
teners between the button-holes of the dress. The accompa-
nying figure, drawn in perspective the exact size, from the

Fig. 598. No. 130,

fibula, No. 130 (which weighs 1 oz. 5 dwt.), also represents a
fragment of dress, through the slits in which the plates were
passed, the portions of texture between the apertures occupy-
ing the space beneath the decorated hoop. "We have experi-
mentally assured ourselves of the feasibility of this process.
A row of such studs, either of equal size, or decreasing gra-
dually from one end to the other, would form a very beautiful
decoration to the vest or tunic. The thin, perfectly plain,
circular plates would, in all probability, have been engraved,

fibula of 56 oz., bat in Vol. vi., p. 237, plate xiii., describes one (already alluded to
in the text) as having been sold in Dublin " for fifty-two guineas, its weight."
The one " weighing 15 oz." was not known to Vallancey, but he quotes Bishop
Pococke's description of it, on the page facing his plate of the Galway fibula, and
this may hare led to Sir W. Betham's mistake. These errors, out of many which
might be recorded, show the general looseness and inaccuracy of that author's state-
ments in his Essay on " Ring Money."

VOL. II. F

66 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

or otherwise decorated, had they been intended for show, and
not utility. In the specimen from which the foregoing illus-
tration was made, the junction of these plates with the ex-
panded ends of the bow is still manifest. It is also possible
that some of the larger fibulae and mammillary brooches may
have been adjusted to the cloak or mantle in somewhat the
same way as that described above, either by means of loops or
button-holes.*

The following list gives the details of the various fibulae
not described in the foregoing section :

WESTERN GROUND FLOOR.

Case D contains seventy-one articles of the species denominated
fibulae, armillae, and ring-money, &c., chiefly consisting of ununited
rings, with either plain, enlarged, or cupped extremities ; and num-
bered from 100 to 170. The top row consists of a number of rings
open on one side, and apparently used as bracelets or armlets, in
which the enlarged extremities increase gradually, from a small,
solid bulb, flat on the face, to a thin, conical cup, or goblet-shaped
end. No. 100 is a light penannular article, circular in section, with
flat terminations, 2| inches in long diameter; Weight, 7 dwt. 1 1 gr.
No. 10J, ditto, a finer specimen, oval; 2| inches wide; Wt., 8 dwt.
11 gr. No. 102, ditto, very similar; 2^ inches; Wt., 8 dwt. 18 gr.;
said to have been procured at Tullow, county of Carlow (Sirr).
No. 103, ditto; 2| inches wide; "Wt., 9 dwt. 3gr. No. 104, ditto,
larger; bent irregularly; Wt., 1 oz. 17 gr. No. 105, ditto, flat,

* Even Vallancey, with all his absurd fancies, was of opinion that these bows, with
" circular flat ends," were fibulae ; that the discs passed through the button-holes, and
lay flat on the body, and that the chased or ornamented part was turned forwards ;
yet he did not see that the Aisin referred to in the note at p. 63, and resembling
our Fig. 590, was of precisely the same shape, and evidently intended for a similar
purpose ; and that the identical article had been figured and described by Pococke
long previously, with these observations " It was made use of to fasten a cloak or
other loose garment by passing it through an opening worked on each side for this pur-
pose." In matters of fact and illustration, Vallancey's plagiarisms of Pococke are as
patent as the adoption without acknowledgment of the General's opinions by more
modern writers.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD FIBULJE. 67

four-sided in section, extremities large and somewhat cupped ; dia-
meter 2f inches; Wt., I6dwt. 10 gr. No. 106, a thick penannular
ring, with the enlarged extremities flat on the face ; 2| inches dia-
meter ; Wt., 1 oz. 9 dwt. 20 gr. No. 107, an arm-ring, like No.
105; discs slightly cupped; 2f inches in diameter; Wt., 1 oz. 3 dwt.
5 gr. No. 108, ditto, larger, extremities enlarged and slightly
dished; diameter 2f inches; Wt., 1 oz. 11 dwt. 17 gr. No. 109, a
penannular armlet, with large cup-shaped extremities; diameter 2^
inches: Wt., 1 oz. 1 gr. No. 110, ditto, circular in bar, fining off
towards the ends, extremities cup-shaped; 2^ inches in diameter;
Wt., 11 dwt. 19 gr. No. Ill, ditto, figured and described at p. 55.
No. 112, ditto, not so massive, extremities saucer-shaped ; diameter
2f inches ; l between inner edges of discs; Wt., 1 oz. 2 dwt. 7 gr.
No. 113, a penannular arm-ring, large, massive, bar circular, extre-
mities slightly expanded and flattened; diameter 3^ inches ; Wt.,

2 oz. 9 dwt. No. 114, ditto, light, extremities cup-shaped; 2f
inches in diameter; Wt., 19 dwt. 11 gr.; stated by Mr. Clibborn, in
the Official Catalogue of the Dublin Exhibition of 1853, to have
been found in the cinerary box, No. 275, in Case P. No. 115,
ditto; 2^ inches in diameter; ends flat; Wt., 1 oz. 2gr. ; said to
have been found in box, No. 277, Case P. No. 116, a massive oval
ring, circular in section, extremities unclosed and slightly enlarged ;

3 inches in diameter; Wt, 4oz. 11 dwt. 3 gr. No. 117, a massive
armlet, with slightly cupped extremities; diameter Scinches; Wt.,

4 oz. 3 dwt. 2 gr.; part of the " Clare Find." No. 118, ditto, on
opposite side of Tray; figured and described at p. 53. No. 119, in
centre of circle of "ring-money," the broken-off cup of a large
fibula, decorated round the margin with three grooved lines, Avhich
pass through the substance of the metal, like No. 120; oval; the
apex of the cone to one side of centre, where there are the remains
of the double plate by which this portion was attached to the han-
dle; 2| inches by 2f ; Wt., 1 oz. 1 1 gr. No. 120, a large fibula,
figured and described at p. 57- No. 121, on the opposite side of the
Tray, ditto, but smaller, handle apparently solid; decorated on the
inside margins of cups with three elevated lines, but perfectly plain
on the outside; total length 5 inches; stands 2\ high; each cup is
2 wide; Wt., 4 oz. 11 dwt. 2 gr. Presented by the Marquis of Kil-

' F2

68 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

dare. See Proc., Vol. iii., p. 138. No. 122, the largest fibula in
the Collection, placed in centre of Case, figured and described at
p. 58.

No. 123, the large flat-plated fibula, figured and described at
p. 63. In a semicircle beneath it have been arranged fourteen simi-
lar articles of smaller size, in which the terminal plates are flat, and
gradually developed until they reach their maximum in No. 130.
No. 124, a small, solid, penannular ring, with deeply-grooved orna-
ment on its convexity, no plates, figured at p. 63. No. 125, ditto,
larger. See Fig. 596, p. 63. No. 126, ditto, plates become developed,
tooling on handle sharper and more regular than in foregoing;
length finch; Wt., 7 dwt. 11 gr. No. 127, ditto, larger, plates
still more developed; the collar spreads out into the plate on each
side, unlike No. 123, in which it would appear that the plates were
superadded; length f inch; Wt., 10 dwt. 12 gr. No. 128, ditto,
about the same size; plates somewhat larger, measuring ~ inch in
diameter; Wt., 11 dwt. 22 gr. No. 129, ditto, still larger and hea-
vier, decoration and plates the same; Wt., 13 dwt. 20 gr. No. 130,
the largest of these small fibulae, is 1| inch long, each circular plate 1|-
wide, collars of connecting loop highly decorated; Wt., 1 oz. 5 dwt.
No. 131, ditto, heavier in hoop, but smaller in plates; If inch long;
each plate 1 wide; Wt., 1 oz. 7 dwt. 7 gr. No. 132, ditto, smaller,
plates battered; 1^ inch in diameter; Wt., 13 dwt. 17 gr.; found
near Kells (Sirr). No. 133, ditto, figured and described at p. 63.
No. 134, ditto, smaller, with slight, thin, terminal enlargements;
length, 1 inch; Wt., 8 dwt. 6gr. No. 135, ditto; Wt., 8 dwt. 7 gr.
No. 136, ditto, small, no enlargements; ~ inch in length; Wt.,
4 dwt. 7 gr. No. 137, ditto, crescent-shaped; ^ inch in diameter;
the smallest specimen in the Collection; Wt., 2 dwt. 17 gr. No.
138, a penannular ring, with very deep wineglass-shaped extremi-
ties; 3 inches in diameter; Wt., 2oz. 6 dwt. 20 gr. No, 139, ditto,
figured and described at p. 56. No. 140, ditto, more massive, deco-
rated round edges of cups and collars; Wt., 2 oz. 15 dwt. I7gr.
No. 141, ditto, larger, massive, undecorated, handle hollow, lip of
each cup everted; diameter, 2f inches; Wt., 3oz. 5 dwt. 22 gr. ;
found near Castlebar, county of Mayo. No. 142, ditto, figured and
described at p. 55. No. 143, ditto, handle hollow, and fractured;

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD FIBULAE. 69

cups deep, wide, and decorated round edges ; diameter 3 inches ;
Wt., 1 oz. 14dwt. 12 gr. No. 144, ditto, cups goblet-shaped, with
iaverted edges; collars decorated with circular bands and dog-tooth
ornament, which latter, as in No. 142, is defective internally. Such
is the usual form of decoration in all these articles. The margins
of the cups are decorated with a lightly engraved chevron pattern ;
diameter 3^ inches; Wt., 2oz. 16 dwt. 5 gr. No. 145, ditto, bent,
handle hollow, cups deep, thin ; decorated round edges and at neck
with herring-bone ornament; diameter 3f inches; Wt., 1 oz. 4 dwt.
8gr.

The last row contains five fibulae, wider in the handles than any
of the former, and with shallow, saucer-shaped extremities. The
handles are solid, and either semi-oval or four-sided. No. 146,
wide, massive; handle slender, cups shallow; resembles the large
tibula, No. 121 ; 3^ inches across; Wt., 2 oz. 16 dwt. 1 gr. ; found in
the county of Leitrim. No. 147, ditto, cups thicker, and still more
shallow, with everted lips; handle four-sided; 4f inches wide ; Wt.,
3 oz. 18 dwt. 19 gr. No. 148, ditto, cups broad, deep, with in-
verted edges, and slightly decorated on inner margins, each 2 inches-
wide; a section of the handle would be a segment of a circle; dia-
meter 4| inches; Wt., 2oz. 11 dwt. 7gr. No. 149, ditto, handle
solid; cups thin, wide, and shallow; Wt., 3oz. 6 dwt. 12gr. No.
150, ditto, figured and described at p. 56.

In a semicircle around the detached boss, No. 119, above the
large fibulae, are a series of fifteen small unclosed rings, usually de-
nominated "ring-money," described at p. 87; and, below them, a
row of five specimens of forgeries of the same class of article. These
articles are numbered from 151 to 170, the numbering commenc-
ing with a very small ring on the right-hand side of the Case. They
increase in size to No. 158, and then decrease to No. 165, on the op-
posite side. No. 151, a very small unclosed ring, measuring ~ of an
inch wide, figured and described at p. 88. No. 152, ditto, somewhat
larger, plain; Wt., 1 dwt. 16 gr. No. 153, ditto, larger; ^ inch in
diameter; Wt., 2 dwt. 17gr. No. 154, ditto, larger and thicker;
Wt., 3 dwt. 17 gr. No. 155, ditto, larger, but not quite so thick;
Wt., 3 dwt. 12 gr. No. 156, ditto, thick, massive, striped, with the
indentations very perceptible; of an inch wide; Wt., 6 dwt. 7gr. ;

70 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

No. 157, an unclosed ring, thick, massive, plain; Wt., 7 dwt. 4gr.
No. 158, the largest ring of the set; -f of an inch wide; barred;
striping narrow and close, much worn externally, but very distinct
along inner circle; Wt., 11 dwt. 19 gr. From this number the ar-
ticles decrease in size to No. 165. No. 159? plain, massive. See
Fig. 621, p. 88. No., 160, ditto, smaller, striped. See Fig. 622,
p. 88. No. 161, ditto, plain, smaller, of reddish gold, like that in
fashion some years ago; Wt., 2 dwt. 1 1 gr. No. 162, ditto, smaller,
narrow towards extremities; yellow gold; Wt., 2 dwt. 6gr. No.
163, ditto, not so thick; Wt., 1 dwt. 16 gr. No. 164, a remarkable
form, thick in the middle, and tapering towards the ends, like the
snail-shaped handles of the flat-plated fibulae; Wt., 2 dwt. 13 gr.
No. 165, ditto, very diminutive; the least in the Collection;
Wt., 14 gr.

Forgeries, consisting of unclosed rings, covered with gold plate,
and numbered from 166 to 170, form the bottom row. No. 166, in
good preservation, a copper ring, covered with a thin plate of gold,
slightly open at top; Wt., 5 dwt. 1 gr. No. 167, ditto, larger, cut
across; Wt., 10 dwt. 19 gr. No. 168, ditto, still larger, cut to
show the copper centre; Wt., 12 dwt, 6gr. No. 169, ditto, per-
fect; Wt., 8 dwt. 14 gr. No. 170, ditto; Wt., 7 dwt. 11 gr.

Of the foregoing articles, Nos. 100, 105, 109, 110, 112, 113,
116, 122, 123, 125, 127, 128, 129, 131, 134 to 139, 143 to 147,
150 to 156, and 159 to 165, were procured with the Dawson Col-
lection.

TORQUE in Irish, Tore is a term applied to a ring of
twisted metal, generally gold, worn either on the neck ; round
the waist ; across the breast ; or on the limbs, as an armilla or
finger-ring. The simplest form is that of a square bar of gold,
twisted so as to present a funicular, or rope-like figure. In
the more complex forms, two or more flat strips of metal,
joined at their inner edges, are twisted together spirally. The
name is expressive of the form.

Decorative articles of this description were known to the
Egyptians, the Persians, the people of Persepolis, the Gauls,
the early Britons ; and, in later times, to the Romans, on the

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD TORQUES. 71

coins and monuments of which latter they are figured; but to
the Irish Celt they seem to have belonged as a special and fre-
quent form of decoration. They are frequently mentioned in
our early Irish histories ; and more golden torques have been
discovered in this country, and are to be seen in more varie-
ties, and of greater magnitude, in the Museum of the Academy,
than in the collections of all the other countries of Europe
collectively. They amount to thirty-seven specimens, which,
except No. 291, in Case F, have been arranged on Case E.
Typical examples of each variety are afforded by the following
illustrations. The ends of the torque form loops, which hook
into one another, and present great diversity of design and
ornamentation.

In the subjoined woodcut have been grouped three varie-

I Fig. 699. No. 192. Fig. 600. No. 173. Fig. 601. No. 181. Fig. 602. No. 174.

ties of torque. The most external, figure 599, from No. 192,
is the largest ever known to have been found ; it measures

72 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

5 feet 7 inches in length, and is 15 inches in diameter when
closed. It is formed of four flat bars of gold, united together
at their edges when straight, and then twisted an artistic
process now very difficult to achieve the whole being T %ths of
an inch in diameter. The terminations are prolonged into
strong, circular, recurved bars, one of "which is drawn out into
a projecting arm, 1 0^ inches in length, and terminates in a
short conical knob. It was probably worn obliquely across
the breast, with the projecting member in front, where it
might have served to hang the bridle-rein upon. It weighs
27 oz. 7 dwt. 20 gr., and is the heaviest article of antique
manufactured gold now in the Academy's Collection. No.
173, Fig. 600, placed in the illustration immediately within
the former, is another torque, lighter and smaller than the
foregoing, and having the roping closer. It measures 5 feet

6 inches in length, is 14^ inches in diameter of the ring, and
weighs 12oz. 7 dwt. 13 gr. The coiled extremity is, in all
likelihood, not the original form of the terminal bar, which is
similar in shape to that of No. 192.

These two magnificent torques were found by a peasant-boy,
in 1 8 1 0, in the side of one of the clay raths at Tara, near the
monuments of the Druids, Mael Blocc and Bluicni, and were
purchased by Alderman West, of Skinner-row. They were
brought for exhibition to St. Petersburgh by the Russian am*-
bassador, and afterwards disposed of to the Duke of Sussex.
After remaining in His Grace's possession for some years, they
were re-sold to Mr. James West, and, in 1 839, were purchased
by subscription, and presented to the Royal Irish Academy,
where, with a few other articles remaining from the date of
the foundation of the institution, and the cross of Cong, pre-
sented by Professor Mac Cullagh, they formed the nucleus of
the present Collection.*

* See Proceedings, vol. i., p. 349. See also the Dublin Penny Journal, vol. i.,
p. 156, and Dr. Petrie's Essay on the History and Antiquities of Tara Hill, in th

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD TORQUES. 73

Of the Waist- Torque evidently too large for the neck,
and too small to be worn across the breast we have a good
example in No. 179, described at page 79, which, though 44
inches in length, and 13 in diameter of hoop, weighs only
3 oz. 3 dwt. 15 gr. The ends of this variety are not prolonged,
and do not stand out like those of the breast-torques, but ter-
minate in simple hooks. No. 180, described at page 80, is
of a like description, but formed of a plain, quadrangular,
untwisted bar of gold, with round hooked terminations. It
measures 3 feet 1^ inch in length, and weighs 9 oz. 16 dwt.
18 gr. Among the articles recently deposited in the Museum
by the Royal Dublin Society, there is a brass model of a gold
torque, with plain conical ends, which measures 1 2^ inches in
diameter ; and in the Vetusta Monumenta, vol. v., pi. 29,
may be seen engravings of two gold torques of this descrip-
tion, found in Ireland, each about 9| inches in diameter,
which were in the possession of the Earl of Charleville in
1819.

Another description of torque, evidently from its size a
Neck-ring Muin-torc, or Muinche consists of a simple flat
strip or baud of gold, the breadth of a piece of ordinary tape,
loosely twisted, and having generally small hooked extremi-
ties, which loop into one another. Of this kind there are
three very perfect specimens and many fragments in the Col-
lection. Nos. 181 and 182 are of nearly the same size and
weight, the former of which, Figure 601, in the foregoing il-
lustration, is a typical example. It measures 5^ inches in
diameter, and weighs 19 dwt. 16 gr. No. 291, in Case F,
figured half size, is a very fine specimen of the same va-
riety, recently found with No. 290, near Clonmacnoise (see
page 47) ; but differs from those already referred to, in hav-
ing hollow, olive-shaped terminations. The twisted portion

Transactions, vol. xviii., p. 181. For a learned and ingenious Essay on the Torques
of the Celts, see Mr. Birch's paper in the Archaeological Journal, vols. ii. and iii.

74

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

is not so well finished as in the corresponding articles in
Case E, already referred to ; but it possesses an especial in-
terest from being the only torque which has yet come to light
which tends to explain a passage in one of our ancient ma-

Fig. 603. No. 291.

nuscripts, describing " two apples or balls of gold on the two
forks of his muinche [neck-torque], each the size of a man's
fist."* It measures 5| inches across, and weighs 2 oz. 2dwt.
5 gr.f Presented by the Government.

Of the same form of light, flexible neck ornament, but
still more attenuated and fragile, and somewhat more complex

* Irish MS., H. 3. 18, p. 391, in the Library of Trinity College, quoted by Dr.
Petrie, in his Essay on the History and Antiquities of Tara Hill, Trans. E. I. A.,
vol. xviii., p. 183.

f There is a small torque of this variety in the Antiquarian Museum of Edin-
burgh, of which there is a model in the Comparative and Illustrative Collection of
the Academy.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD TORQUES. 75

in construction, are the fragments of at least seven small
torques, arranged at the bottom
of Case E, each composed of a
screw -shaped and exquisitely
thin band, broad in the centre,
and tapering gradually towards
the ends, where it terminated
either in small hooks or button-
shaped projections, as represent-
ed in the three subjoined cuts,
drawn, the full size, from Nos.
197, 198, and 202. The most
of these fragments vary from 1 to 2 inches in length ; several
are much smaller, but have been joined together by means
of fine gold- wire. The re-
mains of these seven torques

weigh but 2 oz. 10 dwt.

1 1 gr. ; and the majority of

them were found at Derra-

vonna, near Crom Castle,

county of Fermanagh. See

details at page 80.*

While most of these

neck-torques are so light,

elegant, and fragile, as only

to be found in fragments,

like the remains of the spi-
ral specimens, portions of

which are figured above, others are solid, perfectly plain,

either round or flat in section, and oval in form, as shown by

the annexed illustration from No. 175, one of a pair which

* That learned antiquary, Mr. Albert "Way, in his valuable article on " Ancient
Armillffi of Gold," in vol. vi. of the Archaeological Journal, for 1849, p. 53, has
figured and described one of these beautiful ornaments, " formed of a thin plate or
riband of gold, skilfully twisted, the spiral line being preserved with singular pre-

Flg. 607. No. 175.

76 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

formed a part of the "Clare Find," already referred to at
page 31. It is 6 inches across, and 6f in the long diameter,
and is formed of a circular bar, thick in the middle, and ta-
pering to the button-shaped and slightly everted extremities,
which are 3 inches apart. It weighs 6 oz. 12dwt., or 1 dwt.
18 gr. less than its fellow, No. 176, described at page 79.

Although the use and mode of application of the flexible
twisted bands, or neck-torques, already referred to, is so ap-
parent as to leave no room for speculation, the manner of
wearing the thick, heavy gold twisted ring, with wide-spread
ends, No. 174, represented by Figure 602, in the general
torque illustration at page 71, is not so manifest. It is
25 inches in length, is 5f in diameter, measures 7| between
the terminal ends, and weighs 12 oz. 10 dwt. 7 gr. The
roping resembles a coil of several wires ; but the everted ter-
minations are plain, and enlarged towards their ends. It was
found in May, 1841, three feet under the surface, near Augh-
rim, in the neighbourhood of Ballinasloe, county of Galway.

Of the torque-pattern armlets, an example has been af-
forded by Figure 585, at page 53 ; and of the finger-rings,
which assume that shape, No. 184, figured at page 81, is a
good specimen. No. 188, in Case E, here shown, the natural
size, by Figure 608, is a portion of
torque, formed of four wires, twisted
together, and encircled at the end by Fi - eos. NO. m

a decorated collar. It weighs 5 dwt. 15 gr. This fragment
was cut off sharp, as if with a chisel, and now measures only
2 inches, but its workmanship is particularly elegant. Its

cision," which was found at Largo, in Fifeshire, near the Frith of Forth, and which
Mr. Dundas, of Arniston, its owner, regarded as of Danish origin. No such orna-
ments have, however, been found in any part of Scandinavia ; and Mr. Way very
justly remarks "we are reluctant to suppose so graceful an ornament to be of
Danish origin." Had this Catalogue been published fourteen years ago, the English
and Scotch antiquaries would have had no difficulty in assigning an Irish origin to
these ornaments.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD TORQUES. < <

analysis shows it to consist of gold, 9b'-90; silver, 2-49; and
copper, a trace. See Transactions, K. I. A., vol. xxii., p. 34,
No. 3.

Besides the various uses to which the golden torque of
the Irish was applied, as explained in the foregoing descrip-
tion, it was probably also worn on the head, or for binding up
the hair ; in which position it may have been an emblem of
royalty or power. It is stated that when Julian the Apos-
tate was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers, one of them,
named Maurus (probably a Gaulish Celt), took the torque
from his neck, and placed it on the head of the monarch.*

It is related in the Book of Ballymote that, when Cormac
Mac Art reigned at Tara, he wore a fine purple garment, had
a golden brooch on his breast, and a muin-torc, or collar of
gold, around his neck, and a belt adorned with gold and pre-
cious stones about him.f

In that part of the Life of St. Brendan, of Clonfert, re-
ferring to his visit to the monks of Meath, we read that Der-
mot Mac Cerrbheoil, the last resident king at Tara, saw in a
dream two angels, who took his torque [from his neck, and
gave it to a stranger. When the king saw St. Brendan, he
exclaimed, " This is the man to whom the angels gave my

* See Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, A. D. 300. The words
used by the great historian are : Julian " was exalted on a shield in the presence and
amidst the unanimous acclamations of the troops ; a rich military collar, which was
offered by chance, supplied the want of a diadem." In the edition of Gibbon pub-
lished in Bonn's British Classics, " with variorum notes; edited, with further illustra-
trations from the most recent sources, by an English Churchman," we find in vol. ii.,
at p. 470, the following most extraordinary note : " Even in this tumultuous mo-
ment, Julian attended to the forms of superstitious ceremony, and obstinately refused
the inauspicious use of a female necklace, or a horse-collar, which the impatient sol-
diers would have employed in the room of a diadem." Why the Editor should have
thought it necessary to dispute the text of Gibbon, and the authorities on which the
great English writer relied, and called the "rich military collar" < nothing more than
"a female necklace, or a horse-collar," it is difficult to imagine.

t See Petrie's History and Antiquities of Tara Hill, Transactions, R. I. A., voL
xviii., p. 183.

78 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

torque." The dream was interpreted by the sages, that his
kingdom should pass away from him, and become the inheri-
tance of clerics.*

The celebrated statue of the dying gladiator has a torque
round the neck ; and in the Pompeian mosaic referred to at
p. 311, Vol. I., the chief equestrian figure is decorated with a
torque round the neck, and torques on the arms, 'bet ween the
shoulders, and elbows. When Cornelius overcame the Boii,
an ancient Gaulish people, no less than 1470 torques were col-
lected from the vanquished. The term Torquatus was be-
stowed on Titus Manlius and his posterity, on account of the
golden torque which he took from a Celtic Gaul. The an-
cient British queen, Boadicea, is described as having been de-
corated with this form of ornament; and subsequent to her
time, a " Welsh prince was called Llewellin aur dorchag, or
Llewellin of the golden torque."

Alluding to a very early period of Irish bardic history,
Keating says, "at this time there was &Fleasc, or bracelet, on
the arm of every chieftain, as a mark of dignity as leader of a
sept ; and hence, at this day, the head of a tribe is called in
Irish Fleascach Uasal"^ The same Irish historian states that,
in the chivalrous days of the Knights of the Red Branch,
and the renowned Queen Meabdh, of Connaught the times
of the Tain Bo Cuailgne, or great cattle-raid of Ulster " It
was the custom, as an inducement to champions to behave va-
liantly in the fight, to give the badge of heroes [mir curadK\
as a mark of victory, to him who showed himself the bravest
in single combat, and who vanquished his adversary in the
field of vajour;" and, adds the translator in a note, "it was
some ornament or mark of merit, like the medals or ribbands
of modern times." p. 377.

The celebrated Ollam Mac Liag, the poet laureate of

* See Codex Kilkenniensis, in Archbishop Marsh's Library ; also Petrie's Tara,
loc. cit.

f See Haliday's Keating, vol. i., p. 237.

CLASS v. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD TORQUES. 79

Brian Boroihme, gives an account in the Leabhar Oiris of an
excursion which he made to the plain of Rath Raithlen, when
both himself and his attendants were presented with a variety
of gifts kine, horses, and armour, garments, chess-tables, and
also chains, rings, and many ounces of gold.*

The following is a detailed list of the various articles of
the torque pattern in Case B :

Case E contains thirty-six articles of the torque pattern, num-
bered from 171 to 207, among which are the two great torques
found at Tara. Nos. 171 and 172 are a pair of twisted unclosed
bracelets, found with No. 90, in Case C, and Nos. 273 and 279, in
Case F, in the county of Carlow, in 1858. The first measures 2|
inches in diameter, and weighs 12 dwt. 3 gr. The second is figured
and described at p. 53. No. 173 is the smaller of the Tara torques,
figured and described at pp. 71 and 72. No. 174 (within the for-
mer), the massive neck-torque, with recurved ends, figured and de-
scribed at pp. 71 and 76. Nos. 175 and 176, placed on opposite
sides of the case, a pair of plain oval neck- torques, of a peculiar pat-
tern, and almost identical in shape, size, and weight. The former
is figured and described at pp. 75 and 76. The latter is 6 j inches
wide, and 6f in the long diameter; Wt., 6 oz. 13 dwt. 18gr. They
were found together, and form a portion of the " Clare find." No.
177, a small penannular torque-shaped bar, i inch wide, square in
section ; Wt., 2 dwt 7 gr. No. 178, ditto, on opposite side of Case,
somewhat larger; Wt., 5 dwt. (Dawson). No. 179, a light, but
very elegant waist- torque, the third largest in the Collection, of the
screw or spiral pattern, like No. 173; solid conical terminations;
measures 44| inches in length, of which each terminal loop is 2^;

* See Hardiman's Irish Minstrelsy, vol. ii., p. 371.

Before concluding the description of the chief personal ornaments of gold, the
following additional references to the Mind, for which I am indebted to Mr. Crowe,
already referred to at p. 12, serve still further to illustrate this interesting subject:
" It was Fallaman's vow that he would not go back to Eman, until he should bring
the head of Ailell with him, together with the Mind of gold which was on it "
Tain So Cvailgne, L. H., fol. 56. B. "Let the Druid go in my figure, says Ailell,
and the Mind of a king upon his head." Ibid., fol. 53.

80 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

diameter, 13; Wt., 3oz. 3 dwt. 15 gr. (Sirr). No. 180, a very re-
markable waist- ring, of the torque shape, but quadrilateral in sec-
tion, each face of the square being -fy of an inch broad, with round
hooked terminations, each 1^ inches long; measures 37^ inches in
length, and lOf in diameter of circle; Wt., 9 oz. I6dwt 18 gr.
Found, with 'No. 186, in the vicinity of Enniscorthy, county of
Wexford, and purchased by a subscription from the Members of the
Royal Irish Academy. No. 181, the light and beautifully- twisted
neck- torque (Fig. 601), forming a portion of the group repre-
sented and described at p. 71 (Dawson). No. 182, ditto, smaller,
but of the same character, arid 5 inches across the circle; but-
ton-shaped hooked terminations; Wt., 17 dwt. 12 gr. No. 183,
small terminal fragment of a torque; Wt., 8 dwt. No. 184, a small
plain, three- sided bar of gold, flat internally, angular externally,
twisted spirally ; probably used as a finger-ring ; 1^ inches in
diameter. It has been figured and described at p. 81. No. 185,
a flat neck-torque, formed out of a rudely hammered bar of
gold, with very small terminal knobs ; measures 5- inches in dia-
meter, and l across the opening; Wt., 3 oz. 9 dwt. 9gr. No. 186,
a circular torque, round in section of bar, perfectly plain, 16^ inches
long, 5f wide, and 1^- across the opening; Wt., 5 oz. 4 dwt. 6 gr.
It was found with No. 180. No. 187, the fragment of a small
twisted torque, similar to, but rather smaller in grist than No. 179;
length 3 inches; Wt., 4 dwt. 19gr. No. 188, a fragment of a torque,
figured and described at p. 76. No. 189, a very slender, twisted neck-
torque, of the same pattern as No. 179, quite perfect, with small
hooked terminations; 5^ inches in diameter; Wt., 12 dwt. 14gr.
(Dawson). No. 190, a small torque, square in section of bar, but
twisted; probably a finger-ring, unclosed; I inch in diameter; Wt.,
3 dwt. 9 gr. No. 191, a penannular armlet, figured and described
at p. 52. No. 192, the great Tara torque, figured and described at
p. 71. No. 193, placed within the former, the massive gold ring,
Fig. 574, described at p. 46. No. 194, a penannular armilla,
slightly bent, figured at p. 52.

On each side of the bottom of this Tray have been arranged a
collection of remarkably thin twisted neck torques, none of them
perfect; but the whole, although in numerous fragments, may be

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD FINGER-RINGS. 81

divided into the remains of seven distinct torques. They are num-
bered from 195 to 207.

No. 195, the centre portion of a twisted torque; Wt., 1 dwt.
19 gi". No. 196, four portions of similar articles, wired together;
Wt., 5 oz. 15 gr. No. 197, the end portion of a twisted neck-
torque, with button-shaped termination, formed of an extremely
thin ribbon of gold, very curiously twisted ; Wt., 5 dwt. 6 gr.
figured and described at p. 75. No. 198, ditto, with small hook
termination; Wt., 4 dwt. 10 gr.; figured and described at p. 75.
No. 199, ditto, larger, probably about a third of its original
length; hook turned backwards; Wt., 6 dwt. 10 gr. No. 200,
ditto, has neither hook nor button termination; Wt., 7 dwt. lOgr.
No. 201, the end portions of a slight torque, with hooked termina-
tions; Wt., 23 gr. No. 202, ditto, larger; Wt., 1 dwt. G gr.; figured
and described at p. 75. No. 203, portions of torques, wired toge-
ther; Wt., 3 dwt. 21 gr. No. 204, ditto; Wt, 3 dwt. 18gr. No.
205, ditto; Wt., 3 dwt. 9gr. No. 206, ditto; Wt., 2 dwt. 17gr.
No. 207, ditto; Wt., 3 dwt. 15 gr.

FINGER-RINGS in Irish, Fainneof gold, many of which
are jewelled, have been found in Ireland in great variety, but
few are of antique origin ; several of them are ecclesiastical .
With one exception, they are all arranged in Case F, and num-
bered from 208 to 257. See their detailed
description at page 92. Of the more
ancient forms, the
first two cuts in

tf. 609. No. 252.

Fig. 610. No. 184.

. 611. No. 227.

the annexed illustration are good examples. Figure 609,
represented the full size, from No. 252, in Case P, is like a

VOL. II. G

82 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

ferule, fluted both externally and internally, so as to resemble
seven plain rings attached together. It is open at one side,
and weighs 9 dwt.* Figure 610, drawn the full size, from
No. 184, in Case E, is a five-sided bar of gold, flat on the
inside next the finger, and angular externally, weighing
1 oz. 12 dwt. 6 gr. It may be denominated a torque-ring.
The third cut, Figure 611, is drawn from No. 227, a compa-
ratively modern article, evidently a bishop's ring. It is said
that it originally held a very fine amethyst, which was re-
moved by Dean Dawson, when the article was in his posses-
sion, and a piece of glass inserted in its stead. The total
number of gold finger-rings in the Collection at present is

fifty.

SPECIES XI MISCELLANEOUS.

CIRCULAR GOLD PLATES, of which there are seven speci-
mens in the Collection, placed in Case P, and numbered from
266 to 272, are of frequent occurrence in Ireland, an example
of which is afforded by Figure 612, drawn, half size, from
No. 267. They are remarkably thin, very rudely decorated,
always bear a broad cruciform ornament in the centre, and
are pierced with two small holes, as if for attaching them to
the dress. They are often found in pairs, and were probably
worn on the breast. In dimensions they vary from If to 3
inches, and in weight from about 2 to 13 pennyweights. That
here figured is 3 inches in diameter, and weighs 5 dwt. 18 gr.
The ornamentation appears to have been effected by stamping
from the back. It was found, with No. 271, near Ballina,
county Mayo, and was procured for the Academy by the Rev.
Dr. Todd. A peculiar interest attaches to these articles, from
the remarkable circumstance related by Bishop Gibson, in his

* A precisely similar ring, but somewhat smaller and lighter, was found at Rath-
farnham, near Dublin, in 1855, and was figured and described by Captain E. Hoare,
as a specimen of "ring- money," in the Journal of the Kilkenny and S. E. of Ireland
Archasological Society, vol. i., N. S., p. 391, for 1856-57.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD PLATES.

83

Fig. 612. No. 267.

edition of Camden's Britannia, of the discovery of those de-
scribed by him in 1722. Shortly before that period, Dr. Nicol-
son, Bishop of Derry, when dining at Ballyshannon, county
of Donegal, was entertained by an Irish harper, whose song
detailed the burial in a certain
place of a gigantic man, adorned
with golden ornaments. To test
the accuracy of the bard's narra-
tion, search was immediately made
in the spot, when two thin, cir-
cular gold plates, like these under
consideration, were discovered,
and one of which has been figured
by Gibson. Another of the same
class has been represented in the
Dublin Penny Journal, vol. i., p. 244, by Dr. Petrie, who
says: " The figures of the kings sculptured in relievo on the
great stone cross at Clonmacnoise are represented with round
plates of this description, placed upon the breast."

Among the objects of personal decoration attached to the
dress, or strung on necklaces, and which have been found
great numbers in Scandinavia, particularly in
Denmark and Sweden, are Bracteate medals,
mostly of Grecian or Oriental origin, gene-
rally plain on one side, but stamped with a va-
riety of devices on the other ; and having a
loop at top for the purpose of suspension. One
such article, No. 263, in Case r, here figured,
the size of the original, has been found in Ireland, probably
left by the Norsemen. It is a medal of Constantine, in
high preservation, plain on the obverse side, and weighing
2 dwt. 13 gr. The legend is " iMPerator CONSTANTINVS Pius
Felix AVGustus," and the portrait is probably that of Constantine
the First.

CIRCULAR BOXES, supposed by some to have been used

Fig. 613. No. 263.

84 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSKUM.

for mortuary purposes, have been occasionally found in Ire-
land, and are represented by two perfect specimens, and frag-
ments of three others, in the Museum of the Academy ; but
the circumstances under which the former were discovered
have not been clearly ascertained. Heretofore the finders of
golden antiquities have endeavoured to conceal all the facts
relating to their discovery, or the articles have been obtained
through dealers who knew nothing of the circumstances, or
from collectors, who cared merely for their acquisition and
possession. But now, under the existing treasure-trove re-
gulations, and the more general diffusion of antiquarian know-
ledge, it may reasonably be hoped that a better order of
things will arise.

By the subjoined illustration is represented one of those
boxes, one-half the natural size, from No. 275, in Case P. It
is composed of three portions, two cir-
cular convex discs, of very thin gold
plates, embossed with a large central
ornament, surrounded by two rows of
minor ones of the same character, and
precisely resembling those on the Col-
lege fibula, shown by Figure 593,

. . . i -I
page 60, associating it with that very

early style of Irish art, the first rudiments of which may be
seen in some of the rudely incised stones in the great sepul-
chral monuments of New Grange. The edge is encircled
with a rope-shaped fillet, beyond which the plate turns in to
interlap with and affix the rim, which it holds without solder.
The rim or side is also of very thin plate, plain in the middle,
but decorated near each edge by a double funiform band of
the same pattern as that in the top or lid, and the extreme
edges plain, and interlapping with the top and bottom
plates. The side meets by an accurately adjusted but un-
soldered junction, as shown in the engraving. The bottom
disc, No. 274, in nowise differs from the upper in the style

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD BULLjE. 85

of its ornament. The weight of the whole article, includ-
ing the lower plate, is 19 dwt. 11 gr. It is asserted that
the armilla, No. 114, in Case D, was found in this box.
The second box, No. 277, with its bottom, No. 278, is iden-
tical in character, and presents almost the same style of or-
nament.

With the two torque-shaped armilla?, Nos. 171 and 172,
in Case E, described at pages 53 and 79, and other similar or-
naments found in the county Carlow, in 1858, were disco-
vered four thin grooved plates, two
of which, Nos. 273 and 279, are in
Case P, and the latter of which is
here figured, one-half the real size.
The fluting is as regular as if effected
by machinery, and each edge is mar-
gined by a double raised fillet, beyond which the extreme
verge is very thin, and slightly everted. It weighs 12 dwt.
4 gr. These articles were at first sight believed to have been
bracelets; but a more careful examination, and comparison
with the rims of the circular boxes referred to above, now ex-
plains their use.

BULL.S:, or AMULETS, composed of lead, and covered with
highly decorated gold plates, are not of uncommon occurrence
in this country. They are of two kinds, the heart-shaped
and the annular, two fine specimens of each of which are now
in the Collection of the Academy, Nos. 258, 259, 264, and
265, in Case F, all of which are here represented.
Figure 616, drawn, the full size, from No. 264, is
plain in the body, but neatly decorated round the
edge, and also at top, where it is traversed by a
hole for the passage of a string, or for suspending
it to a necklace. Figure 617, No. 265, one-half
the true size, represents one of the most beautiful articles of
this variety ever discovered. Internally it ia composed of
lead, which is surrounded by a thin plate of gold, highly de-

86

CATALOG UK OF THK MUSEUM.

corated with a different pattern on each side. It weighs
4 oz 14 d\vt. 12 gr. The style of ornament resembles that in
some of the cinerary urns, and the ear-
liest gold ornaments found in Ireland,
but is much more regular, and exhibits a
better order of art and workmanship than
in most of the latter. It is traversed
at top by a string-hole, and the joining
of the golden envelope is so accurate as
not to be discernible. It was found up-
wards of a century ago in the Bog of
Allen, and was procured with the Dawson Collection.*

The two unclosed rings, Figs. 618 and 619, drawn, the
full size, from Nos. 258 and 259, are said to have been found
in cinerary urns. They
are also of lead, covered
on the outside with or-
namented gold plate?,

Fig. 617. No. 265.

Fig. 618. No. 258.

Fig. 619. No. 259.

the workmanship of which is, however, inferior to that in the
heart-shaped amulets. Each ring narrows towards the cleft
part, and the gold plate is merely turned in all round the top
and bottom, as well as at the lateral edge, in a rudely plaited
manner.

Not the least curious, and as yet one of the most inexpli-
cable specimens arranged under the head of " Miscellaneous
Articles," is the hat-shaped gold plate, No. 276, in Case F,
and represented, half-size, by the accompanying illustration.

* See the description of it in the Dublin Penny Journal, vol. i., p. 180.

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD MISCELLANEOUS. 87

The plate is exceedingly thin, much crumpled, and grooved
all round with circular indentations and elevations. It weighs

o

1 oz. 2 dwt. 2 gr.
This article, which
is manifestly imper-
fect, is a portion of
the original Collec-
tion of the Acade-
my, and is described
by Ralph Ouseley,
Esq., in 1795, in the Transactions, R. I, A., vol. vi., page
31, as forming one of four precisely similar articles, "quite
circular, and 4f inches in diameter, very thin, ornamented
handsomely at one side, and quite plain at the other, except
a kind of cap or screw, for the purpose of being affixed
to a handle." They were found in 1795, near Enniscorthy,
county of Wexford. Two were melted, and the others, of
which we believe this to be one, were sent "for sale to the
Earl of Charlemont, President of our Academy."

For the description of the other gold articles in the Mu-
seum, not previously enumerated, see the details of Case P,
at page 9 1 .

RING-MONEY. Although we cannot subscribe to the
general theory of " ring-money," as applicable to bronze and
iron articles, referred to at page 635 of Vol. I., to all of
which, as well as to most of the gold and silver rings, can
now be assigned a plainer and more ostensible use, there are
a number of small, thick, gold, penannular articles in the Col-
lection, which may have been used merely as a means of bar-
ter, and which abound in all Irish collections. To no other
use can they at present be assigned ; and the fact that among
them may be found several ancient counterfeits, formed of
copper, covered with thin plates of gold, rather strengthens
the idea that they were intended as a circulating medium.
The Academy possesses fifteen such rings, arranged in a semi-

88

CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

circle in Case D, together with five counterfeits, placed at
its base, and also one in Case F. Those rings in the former
locality are numbered from 151 to 170. In shape they are
nearly all similar, and vary in diameter from f to f of an
inch. See their description at page 69-

Among the sterling rings may be seen three which present
peculiar characters, being crossed by a number of dark-co-
loured transverse bars, which, when the specimen is in good
preservation, or recently found, look like alternate rings of
gold and niello, or some dark silvery metal, and give them a
sort of zebra-marked appearance. On careful examination,
however, with a lens, these stripes are found to consist of
shallow indentations, filled with some dark material, like the
black paste inserted by engravers into brass plates. In some
rings portions of this material have fallen out, been worn away,
or corroded : and then, the true nature of the decoration be-
comes apparent. The following cuts present us with four typi-

Fig. 621. No. 151. Fig. 622. No. 159. Fig. 623. No. 160.

Fig. 624. No. 287.

cal forms of these rings : the small crescentic example, Fig.
621, fining off to the extremities, like Fig. 597, page 63, and
weighing only 1 dwt. 12 gr. ; the plain massive one, No. 159,
Fig. 622, which weighs 10 dwt. 20 gr.; the striped example,
No. 160, Fig. 623, weighing 8 dwt. 17 gr.; and the counter-
feit, Fig. 624, from No. 285, on Case F, in which the cover-
ing-plate of gold is shown at one point turned back from the
copper beneath. This latter weighs 8 dwt. 10 gr., and was
Presented by W. R. Wilde, Esq. It is very remarkable
that, while the joining of this golden envelope cannot be dis-
covered along its edge or length, it is in all instances very

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD MISCELLANEOUS. 89

rudely and ostensibly bent in and hammered over the ends of
the copper, without any effort at concealment. In the sterling
rings, the ends are not cut sharply off, but neatly rounded,
and well finished. A comparison of the weights of these
rings does not favour the arguments used by the supporters
of the ring-money theory ; for they not only present great
variety in their weights, but do not show any scale of pro-
portion from the largest to the least ; neither are they, nor
any description of so-called ring-money, multiples of twelve or
of any other definite number.*

As the nucleus of all these antique counterfeits is copper,
and not bronze, and as the latter metal was not known until
long after the discovery of gold and copper, it suggests the
inquiry as to whether it was in use in Ireland when these
penannular articles were manufactured.

The subject of ring-money will be further considered in
the introduction to the catalogue of the coins and medals.

Within the last few months several rare and valuable an-
tique gold articles have been discovered in Ireland, and are
now in the Collection of the Royal Irish Academy. See pages
47, 74, and 95. Of these, No. 306, in Case B, is one of the

Fig. 625. No. 306. Fig. 626. No. 306.

most remarkable. This unique article, represented two-thirds
the real size by the above woodcut, consists of four very thin,

* Sir W. Betham figured some of these rings from the Dawson Collection. See
Trans. R. I. A., vol. xvii. ; and also hia Etruria Celtica.

90 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

circular plates, two small in front, and two somewhat larger
behind; the whole joined together in the following manner :
The anterior small plate, shown in Fig. 625, is 2f inches in
diameter, and decorated with a wheel-shaped ornament, pro-
duced by a series of minute puncturings from behind, not un-
like those seen in the circular plates, Nos. 266, 270, and 272,
and of which variety of article the illustration of a typical
specimen is afforded by Fig. 612, at p. 83. The edge of this
plate is turned back for about one-eighth of an inch to overlap
and attach it to the second plate, of same size, but plain and
considerably stronger. This second plate has a large irregularly
circular aperture in the middle, about seven-eighths of an inch
wide, which interlaps, and is firmly united with the edges of
a similar opening in the third plate. This latter is also plain,
stout towards the centre, and about a quarter of an inch all
round wider than the foregoing ; its thin edge is overlapped
by the fourth or posterior plate in the same manner as the two
others. In both the overlapment is precisely similar to that
in the bosses of the diadems described at pp. 20 and 23, &c.
The fourth or posterior plate, represented by Fig. 626, is of
the same size as the last, and decorated with the same form of
punched ornament, but of a different pattern to that seen in
the small anterior disc, and, in addition, having originally the
spaces within the small circles elevated from the surrounding
plate, not unlike those seen in Box No. 275 (see p. 94). In
the interspace between the central plates was found, when the
article was discovered, a small solid gold ball, weighing 1 1 gr.,
and which is also shown in the illustration. When this cu-
rious article was recently found in the plain beneath the Rock
of Cashel, county of Tipperary, the plates were crushed flat
together, and there are the indentations in both the external
plates of three such balls. When this article was complete,
the outer plates were probably convex externally, like the la-
teral discs of the diadems, and these little balls may have been
introduced to produce a rattle. It is now much crushed and

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD MISCELLANEOUS. 91

battered, but the anterior plate is still partially, and the two
central ones altogether, united. When perfect, "there must
have been a deep angular groove externally between the mid-
dle plates.

The use of this curious relic cannot be determined with
any degree of certainty. The very early style of art, and the
absence of all cruciform decoration, leads us to believe that it
was not employed for ecclesiastical purposes, but was either a
toy or a personal ornament, possibly an ear-ring. For the lat-
ter object, or for suspending to the dress, a string passed round
the cleft between the middle plates would suffice ; and as both
external plates are equally adorned, it is more likely to have
been attached to the ear. Thus we see that every day pro-
duces new and hitherto unknown forms of our ancient jewel-
lery. It weighs 1 1 dwt. 3 gr., and was procured under the
present treasure- trove regulations, and Presented by the
Government.

Of gold chains, such as those with which Muineamhon
decorated the Irish chieftains in his day (see Annals of the
Four Masters, under A.M., 3872), and now very rarely dis-
covered, we have as yet no specimen in the collection ; but
Lord Londesborough, in his magnificent work,* has figured
one found at New Grange, county Meath.

The total number of gold articles now in the Academy's
Museum, including the additional gold ball, No. 36, A,
recently procured, amounts, at this date (1st March, 1862),
to three hundred and ten.

Case F contains a collection of miscellaneous articles, numbered
from 208 to 309, and chiefly consisting of finger-rings, boxes, discs,

* Miscellanea Graphica, Representations of Ancient Mediaeval and Renaissance
Remains, in the possession of Lord Londesborough. London, 1857, 4to. Plate xvii,
Fig. 3, & chain found along with several other gold articles.

Mr. A. C. Welsh, of Droraore, possesses a curious pyriform plate, with a narrow
stem, which may have been used as an ear-ring. See a drawing thereof in the
illustrative Collection of the Academy.

92 CATALOGUE OF TUB MUSEUM.

bullae, &c. No. 208, a small gold finger-ring, decorated in front,
and bearing a Maltese cross in white and dark-coloured enamel ;
Wt., 1 dwt. 1 gr. No. 209, ditto, irregular in shape, sides elabo-
rately carved; sapphire stone; Wt., 1 dwt. 9gr. (Sirr). No. 210,
ditto, with large pale sapphire; Wt., 1 dwt. 18 gr. No. 211, ditto,
plain, thick, with central projection, bearing a small, rudely-set
sapphire (probably ecclesiastical); Wt., 4 dwt. 3gr. No. 212, ditto,
with small triangular sapphire; Wt., 2 dwt. 5 gr. No. 213, ditto,
more massive, sapphire lozenge-shaped; Wt., 3 dwt. 15 gr. No.
214, ditto, thinner, small tourmaline (ecclesiastical); Wt., 2 dwt.
19 gr. No. 215, ditto, a long oval, sapphire small; Wt., 3 dwt.
4 gr. No. 216, ditto, sapphire heart-shaped; Wt., 4 dwt. 11 gr.
No. 217, finger-ring, with carved hoop and purple stone; Wt.,
1 dwt. 6 gr. No. 218, ditto, with a garnet cut with five faces, in
massive setting ; Wt., 1 dwt. 21 gr. ; procured from county of Wa-
terford (Sirr). No. 219, ditto, small, with large raised setting, hold-
ing an uncut pinkish stone ; Wt., 2 dwt. 17 gr. Presentedly the Rev.
W. Fitzgerald. No. 220, ditto, very small, plain hoop, and tur-
quoise stone; Wt., 23 gr. Second Row : No. 221, an antique
ring, decorated with a number of knobs ; Wt., 1 dwt. 8 gr. No.
222, ditto, hoop plain, holding an irregular- shaped uncut garnet,
set clear: Wt, 1 dwt. 23 gr. No. 223, ditto, massive, battered in
setting part; Wt., 7 dwt. 8 gr. No. 224, a thumb or large finger-
ring, the carved hoop holds an antique gem; Wt., 5 dwt. 21 gr.
(Sirr). No. 225, a finger-ring, with uncut pink stone; Wt., 2 dwt.
4gr. No. 226, a beautiful and elaborately ornamented finger -ring,
with massive setting, holding an uncut garnet; Wt., 2 dwt. 22 gr.
No. 227, the largest ring in the Collection, figured and described
at p. 81. No. 228, a highly decorated ring, beryl stone; Wt.,
4 dwt. 8 gr. (Sirr). No. 229> a peculiarly formed small ring, like
a seal, with three uncut stones; Wt., 3 dwt. 1 gr. No. 230, a fin-
ger-ring, with hoop enamelled in white, green, and blue, and hold-
ing four garnets set round a table diamond; Wt., 2 dwt. 9gr Pre-
sented by the Shannon Commissioners. No. 231, ditto, small, with
jet cross, and central diamond; Wt., 12gr. No. 232, an enamelled
mourning ring, with four scroll compartments, bearing the inscrip-
tion, " Lord Bowes, died July 22, 1687;" he was Lord Chancellor

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS : GOLD RINGS. 93

of Ireland, and his monument is in Christ Church Cathedral; Wt.,
2 dwt. 13gr. No. 233, a mourning ring for "Sarah King;" Wt.,
Idwt. 3gr. Third Row: No. 234, gold signet-ring, with mono-
gram; Wt., 7 dwt. 15 gr. No. 235, ditto, letters I. D., and device
on face ; Wt., 7 dwt. 1 7 gr. No. 236, ditto, with skull and cross-
bones, and the words, "Memento mort;" Wt., 7 dwt. 19 gr. No.
237, ditto, large, with coat of arms ; Wt., 1 1 dwt. 8 gr. No. 238,
ditto, ditto; Wt., 5 dwt. 13 gr. No. 239, ditto, with crest and let-
ters W. G. M. ; Wt., 8 dwt. 9 gr. (Dawson). No. 240, ditto, crest,
a hand and dagger; Wt., 6 dwt. 6 gr. (Dawson). No. 241, a thick
gold hoop, with clasped hands supporting a heart ; Wt., 6 dwt. 4 gr. ;
from county of Limerick (Sirr). No. 242, ditto, large, hoop plain,
clasped hands ; Wt., 3 dwt. 3 gr. No. 243, ditto ; Wt., 3 dwt. 1 6 gr.
No. 244, gold hoop, with crucifix; Wt., 1 dwt. 12 gr. No. 245, a
decade ring, with sunken crucifix in central oval ; Wt., 21 gr. No.
246, a decade ring, with cypher; Wt., 15 gr. Fourth Row: No. 247,
a plain hoop, with motto inside, " God's intent none can prevent;"
Wt, 4 dwt. 4gr. Presented by Maurice O'Connell, Esq. No. 248, a
plain ring of reddish gold, with the word " Crohan" engraved on the
inside; probably of Wicklow gold; Wt., 1 dwt. 14 gr. Seep. 5. No.
249, a hollow hoop, with floral wreath ; Wt, 6 dwt. 1 1 gr. No. 250,
a plain broad hoop ; Wt., 6 dwt 7 gr. ; supposed to have been a
ferule for the handle of a bronze dagger, with which it was found
Presented by Maurice G 1 Connell, Esq. No. 251, a decorated hoop,
with cross and letters I. H. S. ; Wt, 1 dwt. 7 gr. No. 252, a
grooved ring or ferule, figured at p. 81. No. 253, a flat hoop, of
very yellow gold, like No. 249 ; Wt, 6 dwt. 23 gr. No. 254, a plain
thick hoop, with this inscription on inside, " Stand fast in faith;"
Wt., 5 dwt. 8 gr. (Dawson). No. 255, a plain hoop, "1740,
H. V. M.," on inside; Wt., 2 dwt. 10 gr. Fifth Row: No. 256,
fragment of gold ring, with three knobs, like those of bronze,
figured and described at p. 563, Vol. I.; Wt., 7 dwt. 21 gr. No.
257, a curious twisted leaden ring, plated with gold, probably not
Irish. No. 258, a bulla of lead, covered with gold, figured acd de-
scribed at p. 86. No. 259, ditto, larger, and more perfect, figured
and described at p. 86, No. 260, a semicircular hollow band, of
highly ornamented gold, incomplete in two portions, resembling in

94 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

form and decoration some of the silver ornaments ; possibly of for-
eign origin. A portion of the original lead that filled the interior
still remains; probably part of a head-dress; length 8j inches; Wt.,

1 oz. 4 dwt. 2 gr. No. 261, a heart-shaped reliquary of gold, pierced,
and highly enamelled in crimson, white, and green ; probably
foreign; watch-like handle and loop; length 2f inches; Wt., 1 oz.

2 dwt. llgr. Found at Howth (Sirr). No. 262, a highly deco-
rated, but comparatively modern brooch, with four settings for
stones; Wt., 5 dwt. 5 gr. No. 263, a gold medal, figured and de-
scribed at p. 83. No. 264, a small bulla, figured and described at
p. 85. No. 265, the large bulla, figured and described at p. 86. No.

266, a thin circular plate, 3f inches wide, with central cross, and
two holes, possibly for attaching it to the dress; Wt., 13 dwt. 20 gr.
Its match, No. 272, is placed on the opposite end of the row. No.

267, ditto, figured and described at p. 83. No. 268, ditto, orna-
ment raised, with small square cross in centre; 2 inches wide;
Wt., 4 dwt. I7gr. (Sirr). No. 269, ditto, the smallest in the Col-
lection, imperfect ; If inches in diameter ; Wt., 2 dwt. 2 gr. No.
270, ditto, large, but very thin; 2f inches across; Wt., 4 dwt.
12gr. (Dawson). No. 271 > ditto; 3| inches across; Wt., 4 dwt.
10 gr.; found with No. 267. No. 272, ditto, the match of No.
266; Wt., 13 dwt. 10 gr. See p. 82. Seventh Row: No. 273,
the unclosed rim of a circular box, fluted on external surface, very
thin; | inch wide; 7f in length; Wt., 11 dwt. 16 gr. Found with
the bracelets, Nos. 90, 171, and 172, in the county of Carlow. See
its fellow, No. 279, on the opposite side. No. 274, the cover of the
circular box, No. 275, marked with slight circular indentations,
roped round edge; diameter 2f inches; Wt., 5 dwt. 9 gr. Found
with the adjoining gold box, and is evidently its lid. No. 275, a
circular gold box, consisting of lateral rim, and bottom similar to
the foregoing, figured and described at p. 84. In it is said to have
been found the bracelet, No. 114, in Case D. No. 276, a hat-shaped
piece of thin gold, figured and described at pp. 86, 87. No. 277,
a circular box, similar in size and ornament to No. 275 ; Wt.,
14 dwt. 13 gr. In it is said to have been found the bracelet, No.
115, in Case D. No. 278, the cover or bottom of ditto; Wt.,
5 dwt. 7 gr. No. 279, the fellow of No. 273, figured and described

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD MISCELLANEOUS. 95

at p. 85. No. 280, a bar of wrought gold. See Fig. 580, p. 51. No.
281, a piece of thick gold-wire, bent, and cut off obliquely ; Wt.,3dwt.

12 gr. No. 282, a fragment of a massive cylindrical rod of wrought
gold, 3j inches in length, to one end of which a small portion has
been attached by hard solder (either for the purpose of the preser-
vation of the latter, or possibly to make the whole a certain weight) ;
Wt., 2oz. 12dwt. 9gr. It was found in the county of Kildare;
procured through Mr. West, as treasure-trove, and Presented
by the Government. No. 283, a gold ingot; figured and described
at p. 51. No. 284, the large skewer-shaped bar of gold, figured
and described at p. 51. No. 285, a small thin portion of gold
plate ; Wt., 10 gr. No. 286, two small fragments of a circular
embossed gold plate; Wt., 12 gr. No. 287, the small copper and
gold ring supposed to represent money ; figured and described
at p. 88. No. 288, a small spatula-shaped fragment of gold;
Wt, 16 gr. Analyzed by Mallet, 'and found to consist of gold,
88.72; silver, 10-02; copper, Ml; iron, '02. Trans. R. I. A., Vol.
xxii., p. 314. No. 289, four small fragments of wrought gold; Wt.,

13 gr. No. 290, the large Scandinavian-shaped ring, figured and
described at pp. 47 and 48. No. 291, the torque found with the
former article, near Clonmacnoise. See Fig. 603, p. 74. No. 292,
a thin flat plate of gold, smooth inside, grooved longitudinally on
the external face like the rims of the boxes Nos. 273 and 279 ; it is
3^ inches long, by ^ wide; lateral edges plain, without overlap-
ments; transverse edges much worn, and angles rounded off. The
grooving is complete, and terminates at each extremity. When
examined with a lens, it would appear as if the gouge-like tool with
which this grooving was effected was lifted off the plate before it
was carried to the extreme edge. This peculiarity is observable at
both extremities, which are equally worn, showing that the article
is complete; it is stated to have been found in a curved state ;
Wt.j 5 dwt. lOgr. No. 293, ditto, the fellow of the foregoing in
every respect, except weight ; Wt., 5 dwt. 20 gr. Both these
articles were found together procured under the treasure-trove
minute, and Presented by the Government. They are too short to
have been used as the rims of boxes, and certainly bear no marks
of having been cut or fractured; they are too thin to have retained

96 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

the annular position as finger-rings. They are stated to have been
found in the county of Tipperary, in the present year. Nos. 294
and 295 would appear to be portions of the same article, and to be
identical with the box-rims, Nos. 273 and 279> the latter of which is
figured at p. 85. Although apparently parts of the same article, the
recently cut terminations do not match, a very small portion having
been removed, the incision was quite recent when the articles were
procured under the treasure-trove minute, and Presented by the
Government during the present month, February 1862. Each plate
is plain on the inside, and grooved externally with an everted edge
or overlapment, for attaching it to the turn-over of the top and bot-
tom of a circular box, like No. 275, figured on p. 84. They are
somewhat thicker towards the cut extremities (originally the mid-
dle) than at the other ends. A close examination of the termina-
tion of the grooving on these incomplete plates shows at once the
difference between it and that in the two foregoing articles. Each
plate is 4 inches long by J-f wide; when joined, they form a box-rim
of the average size. The former weighs 6dwt. 21 gr., and the lat-
ter 6 dwt. 10 gr. Nos. 296 to 305, a row of nine cylindrical beads,
each formed of a fragment of thin plate of gold, rudely rolled upon
itself, the row measuring 5 inches. Five are plain on both sides,
and four grooved on the outer face, like Nos. 292 and 293, and are,
most likely, fragments of similar articles. They may have been
ferules for double conical beads, like that figured and described
at p. 36 ; or they may have been worn with other trinkets on a neck-
lace, or strung between amber beads. They somewhat resemble
the row of cylindrical beads numbered from 42 to 47, in Case C,
but are much ruder. In their present state they cannot be re-
garded as perfect ; for the age and style of art which was capable of
executing the minute and precise grooving on the surface of some
of them would scarcely have left them in their present condition.
The set weighs 5 dwt. 6 gr. No. 306, the curious quadruple set of
circular plates figured and described at p. 89- See Figs. 625 and
626. No. 307, a penannular armilla, with cup-shaped termina-
tions; bar cylindrical, thick in centre, and tapering towards extre-
mities; very perfect; 2f inches in long diameter of oval; Wt.,
1 oz. 2 dwt. 9 gr. No. 308, ditto, smaller, in fine preservation,

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD MISCELLANEOUS. 97

with goblet-shaped terminations, like No. Ill in CaseD ; bar cylin-
drical : encircling the edge of each cup is a slight fillet, which is
worn away externally, showing that the article was there long sub-
ject to friction; 2^ inches in long diameter; "Wrk., 18 dwt. 15 gr.
No. 309, ditto, bar cylindrical, and of equal grist throughout. It
presents the rare peculiarity of having shallow oval cups, which are
also partially unclosed at the bottom. The edges of the cups are
very thin, and somewhat battered; measures 2f inches in long dia-
meter; Wt., 16 dwt. 8 gr. These three armillge were found on the
plain of Cashel, county of Tipperary; and, with Nos. 296 to 306,
were procured under the treasure-trove authority, and Presented
by the Government.

In the enumeration of the various presents and tributes
given in the Book of Rights, we read of gold-adorned shields
and swords, of gold- trimmed cloaks and tunics, of "rings of
red gold" -failgibh derg oir; and in one instance we find an
entry of "a javelin with its mounting of wrought gold," as hav-
ing formed part of the tribute to which the Chief of the Gai-
leanga, in Meath, was entitled. Even chariots were decorated
with gold ;* and among the gifts said to have been offered to
St. Patrick and his attendants was a " screapallf for each
man, an ounce of gold."{ When the Ultonian King of
Emania visited the chief monarch at Tara, the latter was
bound to present him with " the full breadth of his face of
gold ;" probably a mind or lunula. And, again, the King of

* See also the Annals of the Four Masters, under A. D. 9, in which the won-
derful jewels of Crimhthann are enumerated. Among these was a golden chariot, a
golden chess-board, a gold-embroidered cloak, and " a conquering sword with many
serpents of refined massy gold inlaid in it."

f " Screapall, a coin used by the ancient Irish, weighing 24 gr., and of the va-
lue of three pence." See O'Donovan's translation of the Book of Rights, p. 228, n.,
and Petrie's Round Towers, in Trans. R. I. A., vol. xx., p. 216 ; also Annals of
Four Masters, under A. D. 1153.

J A. D. 1004. Brian Boroihme left twenty ounces of gold as an offering on the
altar of Armagh. By some commentators this mass of gold is said to have ben in
the form of a ring. Ann. Four Masters.
VOL. II. H

98 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

Ui Gabhla was entitled to a ring of gold upon every finger ; and
a ring of gold, bright from the fire, was due to the fair King
of the Forthuatha," in the territory of Imaile, in which the
Church of Glendalough, in Wicklow, now stands. " Rings,"
in all likelihood of gold, and of different patterns, like those
unclosed armilla3 in the Academy's Collection, are frequently
mentioned among the gifts and tributes presented to different
other chieftains or petty kings, in return for the cattle-tax
and refection for the troops of the provincial kings. The
rings in other places are described as of " red gold,"
probably denoting the purity of the metal, " Drinking-
horns on which is gold" are likewise enumerated in that re-
markable work, to which reference has been frequently made
in Vol. I. All these entries show the great amount of and the
variety of purposes to which this precious metal was applied in
the early days of barbaric splendour, and which the discove-
ries of subsequent times proves to be correct. See also the
description and illustrations of the beautiful gold-covered
bronze plates, given at pages 574 and 575, of Vol. I. The
Druidic idols of the Pagan Irish are said to have been covered
with plates of gold. The various shrines of early Christian
times were adorned with this most precious but abundant me-
tal; and the chalices and church furniture and decorations
Avere of such splendour as to invite the plundering Norse
across the wildest seas, and to have excited the cupidity of
the Irish chieftains and their followers.* When, in addition

* The following extracts from O'Donovan's translation of the Annals of the Four
Masters serve still further to illustrate this subject :

A. D. 796. " The relics of Ronan, son of Bearach, were placed in a shrine of gold
and silver."

A. D. 949. Godfrey, son of Sitric, with the Danes of Dublin, plundered Kells,
and carried off " three thousand persons into captivity, besides, gold, silver, rai-
ment," &c. Also An. Clonmacnoise.

A. D. 998. O'Melaghlin and Brian, son of Ceinneidigh, carried off the gold, sil-
ver, and prisoners of Dublin.

A. D. 1006. The great Gospel of Columbkille, or Book of Kells, was stolen from

CLASS V. METALLIC MATERIALS: GOLD MISCELLANEOUS. 99

to all these notices, we review the amount of gold procured by
the Academy within the last thirty years, and of which only
a few typical specimens have been engraved in this work ; to-
gether with those preserved in the Londesborough and other
Collections; and glance at the various records in different
books, periodicals, and newspapers,* of articles long since
lost to antiquarian investigation, and others known to have
been melted down ; we think it must be acknowledged that
we have established the position with which this section of
the Catalogue was commenced, that no other country in Eu-
rope possesses so much manufactured gold belonging to early
and medieval times as Ireland.

Having in the foregoing pages enumerated and described
the various gold ornaments which have been acquired by the
Royal Irish Academy, and also endeavoured to establish the
native origin and manufacture of these articles, it is with
considerable diffidence that the author ventures to dissent
from the opinion of the late President of the Academy, that
" Geology assures us that there are no auriferous streams or
veins of gold in Ireland, capable of supplying so very large a

the sacristy of that place. When discovered, it was found that the gold of its cover
had been removed.

A. D. 1020. Armagh was burned by the Danes, with " much gold, silver, and
other precious things."

A. D. 1129. The Church of Clonmacnoise was robbed, and among the stolen ar-
ticles were several adorned with gold.

A. D. 1151. See page 7 of this Catalogue. For ten ounces, read "ten score
ounces of gold."

A. D. 1157. At the consecration of Mellifont Abbey, in Louth, Murtagh
O'Loughlin " presented seven score cows, and three score ounces of gold ;" O'Carroll
also "gave three score ounces of gold;" and Dearvorgil, the wife of O'Ruairc, "gave
as much more, and a chalice of gold."

A. D. 1189. Hugh O'Conor gave Donnell O'Brien ten articles ornamented with
gold.

* It is the author's intention to publish in the Proceedings a chronological ac-
count of the various Irish gold " finds" to which reference has been already made
in the note at page 4.

100 CATALOGUE OF THE MUSEUM.

mass of gold"* as would be required to furnish all the orna-
ments of that metal found at different times throughout the
country, and a portion of which is now in the Museum. As
already shown at page 4, geology proves that there are no
less than seven localities in which gold has been found in Ire-
land; and the fact that upwards of 10,000 worth of gold
was procured within a few weeks from one of these locali-
ties within the last eighty years, as already described at
page 355 of Vol. I., and that in the very place where the
annalists of old state that gold was first smelted and manu-
factured into ornaments, is conclusive, as regards those geolo-
gical and historic objections. An examination and compari-
son of our own with the native antiquarian collections of
other European countries confirm the opinion that the gold
ornaments discovered in Ireland possess a special character,
not found elsewhere.

It has been asserted that the gold of which our Irish or-
naments are composed was brought from India by the nomad
Kelts who finally settled in Ireland ; by some it is supposed
that it was procured from Gaul ; and by others that it was
imported from Spain by the Milesian colonists. Others, again,
imagine that it was derived from Africa ; in fact, our manu-
factured gold has been assigned to every gold-producing
country in the world of ancient times, but our own. Again,
it has been fancied that these gold ornaments found in Ire-
land are of Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek, Hebrew, and
even Danish origin; but as none of the asserters of these theo-
ries have offered any tangible exposition of them, it is here
unnecessary to discuss their merits.

* See Rev. Dr. Todd's Presidential Address, in Proceedings for April 14, 1856,
vol. vi., p. 326.

ei-wawt

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